A senior U.S. Army soldier is in British custody after authorities there accused him of passing classified information to Russia.
The 41-year-old soldier, who has not been identified, was arrested Tuesday “as part of an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
Police are searching two locations in Gloucestershire in the west of England that are connected to the arrest, officials said.
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“The alleged conduct of a senior soldier, entrusted with sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent,” Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, commander of U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, said in a statement.
The arrest is the result of an investigation by British police working closely with the FBI and the U.S. military, officials in London said.
“The allegations are serious, and our investigation is very much ongoing,” said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Britain’s Counter Terrorism Policing. “We will work together to take robust action against those we suspect of any criminal activity that could undermine our national security.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said his agency investigated more than 160 counterintelligence and espionage threats over the last 21 months.
“This important arrest involves allegations of espionage, which is of the utmost concern to the United States and our allies,” Mr. Patel said. “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.”
British police said the arrest of the U.S. soldier is not linked to any other investigations.
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