A US Army officer serving with a NATO military unit in Britain was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of espionage involving Russia, British counterterrorism authorities announced, according to The Associated Press, amid mounting concerns over Russian intelligence operations across Europe.
The 41-year-old American serviceman, whose identity has not been released, was detained near Gloucester, approximately 90 miles west of London. He is suspected of violating two provisions of Britain's National Security Act 2023 concerning assistance to a foreign intelligence service and the acquisition or disclosure of protected information.
According to an American official, a senior NATO official and a British government official who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity, the suspect was assigned to NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps at Imjin Barracks near Gloucester.
The American official identified him as an officer, while Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, commander of the US Army Counterintelligence Command, described the suspect as a senior soldier without providing further identifying information.
The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps is a British-led multinational NATO formation comprising personnel from 20 countries. Headquartered in Gloucester, the unit is designed to deploy rapidly in response to military emergencies and operations requiring immediate action.
British authorities said the investigation involved close cooperation between the Metropolitan Police's counterterrorism officers, the FBI and the US military.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the detention as an “important arrest" involving espionage allegations of “utmost concern" to Washington and its allies.
“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 suspect remained in custody at a London police station as investigators searched two properties in Gloucestershire. Authorities have not disclosed further details about the alleged intelligence activities or the information potentially involved.
Police emphasized that the arrest was unrelated to other counterterrorism investigations, distinguishing it from recent security threats against American military installations in Britain that have been linked to Iran.
In September, authorities investigated a suspected Iranian-linked terrorist plot targeting RAF Fairford, a British air base near Gloucester used by US forces.
Following the threat, the US Air Force withdrew bombers stationed at Fairford that had previously participated in strikes against Iran.
American military officials also relocated aircraft this week from RAF Mildenhall, another installation in Britain, following a separate security threat. The Wall Street Journal reported that the latest threat was also connected to Iran.
Tuesday's espionage arrest, however, concerned suspected Russian activity rather than those Iranian-linked threats.
Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, AP has documented more than 210 incidents across Europe involving sabotage or other hostile activities attributed to Moscow by Western officials.
The reported operations have included plots to set warehouses on fire, drone incursions, attempted assassinations abroad, theft of military technology and cyberattacks targeting critical European infrastructure.
Among the more recent incidents was an attempted drone attack against a German airport in August, which German authorities attributed to Russia. The incident prompted Berlin to close a Russian consulate.