A senior U.S. Army soldier is being held in London after being arrested in Gloucestershire on suspicion of providing sensitive information to Russian intelligence.
The 41-year-old service member remains in custody following his detention near the city of Gloucester, according to reports from Dnes.dir.bg and other international outlets.
The soldier was detained by counter-terrorism police on Tuesday. Authorities arrested him under the UK’s National Security Act, specifically citing Section 1, which covers the acquisition or disclosure of protected information, and Section 3, which relates to assisting a foreign intelligence service.
Police confirmed that the investigation concerns Russia. According to Sky News, as reported by Focus-news.net, the individual had been stationed at Imjin Barracks, the headquarters of NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the arrest as a significant development, noting that the allegations involve espionage that poses a serious concern for the United States and its allies. In a statement provided to multiple outlets, including Segabg.com, Patel emphasized that the agency will not tolerate individuals who violate their oath to the United States or threaten national security.
Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, head of the U.S. Army’s Counterintelligence Command, addressed the breach of trust in his own statement. "The alleged behavior of a senior service member, who was entrusted with sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and constant," Stinchon said.
According to Reuters and cited by Segabg.com, U.S. forces recently withdrew refueling aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk. Investigators are currently searching two addresses in Gloucestershire as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The individual is being held on suspicion of violating Sections 1 and 3 of the UK National Security Act, which pertain to the handling of protected information and providing assistance to a foreign intelligence service, namely Russia.
British police have stated that this specific arrest is not linked to other pending counter-terrorism investigations, despite the recent withdrawal of U.S. aircraft from other British airbases.
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