UK Police Arrest Senior US Army Soldier on Suspicion of Spying for Russia

Counter Terrorism Policing London said the man was detained on Tuesday under sections 1 and 3 of the National Security Act 2023, which cover obtaining or disclosing protected information and assisting a foreign intelligence service. “The country to which the allegations relate is Russia.”

The official statement described him as a member of the U.S. Army. Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, commanding general of U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, called him a “senior soldier, entrusted with sensitive information.” Police have not released his name or rank, and he has not been charged.

Custody and Searches

The 41-year-old remains in custody at a London police station. The BBC said the National Security Act allows police to hold him without charge for up to 14 days.

Officers are searching two locations in Gloucestershire. The investigation, led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, is being conducted with U.S. authorities, the U.S. military and the FBI. Police said it is not linked to any other ongoing counter-terrorism investigations.

The BBC understands the soldier was based at Imjin Barracks in Innsworth, Gloucestershire, the headquarters of NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.

Officials Call the Allegations Serious

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, called the arrest “significant” and said it resulted from close collaboration between British and American authorities.

“The allegations are serious and our investigation is very much ongoing,” Evans said.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the case “involves allegations of espionage, which is of the utmost concern to the United States and our allies.”

“While this investigation is continuing, I want to send a clear message – this FBI has no tolerance for anyone who breaks their oath to the United States and whose actions endanger our national security and that of our partners.”

Patel said the bureau had made 167 counterintelligence and espionage arrests over the past 21 months, a 53% increase, and thanked U.K. Counter Terrorism Policing, MI5, U.K. Defence Counter Intelligence and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.

Stinchon said the case was “a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent,” and urged anyone who had witnessed something suspicious to report it to their local counterintelligence office.

The arrest comes as MI5 has already described Russia as Britain’s leading state adversary, and follows earlier U.S. cases in which service members were accused of trying to pass military secrets to Moscow.