ABRAnews Open the whole story. Sign in
World

British police arrest senior US soldier on suspicion of spying for Russia

The unnamed 41-year-old is in custody in London, and police say the case is not linked to other counterterrorism investigations.

29 news outlets reported this
Liberal9 outletsA senior US soldier held, with NATO base tiesCenter11 outletsThe arrest beside separate Iran-linked threats to US basesConservative9 outletsPatel's no-tolerance message and espionage arrest record
ABRAnews EditorialPublished 1 min read
Overview

A member of the US Army was arrested Tuesday, Nov. 10, near Gloucester, England, on suspicion of espionage related to Russia. London's Metropolitan Police said the man is 41 and was not named. He is held on suspicion of two offenses under the National Security Act 2023: one for helping a foreign intelligence service and one for obtaining or disclosing protected information.

He is in custody at a London police station, and officers are searching two locations in Gloucestershire. Police said counterterror officers worked closely with the FBI and the US military. FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI has "no tolerance" for those who betray their oath to the United States and whose conduct jeopardizes national security.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said the allegations are serious and the investigation is "very much ongoing." Police said the arrest is not related to other counterterror investigations. The AP reads that as meaning no connection to a suspected Iran-linked plot in September at RAF Fairford, a US-run base near Gloucester.

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

Key figures
  • 167counterintelligence and espionage arrests by the FBI over 21 months, per PatelThe Guardian
  • 53%increase in those arrests, per PatelThe Guardian
  • 14 dayslongest police can hold him without charge, as Yahoo News reportsYahoo News
  • twolocations being searched in GloucestershireThe Guardian

Three sides of the story

9Liberal11Center9Conservative

29 news outlets reported this

Tap a color or swipe sideways to switch sides.

Liberal9 outlets

A senior US soldier held, with NATO base ties

The Guardian leads with the arrest of a "senior US soldier with alleged links to Russia" and reports he was based at Imjin Barracks in Innsworth, headquarters of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. It quotes Patel's thanks to MI5 and other partners and his figure of 167 counterintelligence and espionage arrests in 21 months. Yahoo News runs a report headlined with an arrest "near NATO headquarters."

It says "the BBC understands" the soldier was based at Imjin Barracks, and adds that the law lets police hold him without charge for up to 14 days. Al Jazeera English quotes Evans calling it a "significant arrest and investigation" and Stinchon on "the strength of our partnerships." MS NOW and The Boston Globe run wire reports.

MS NOW adds that US authorities charged three men the same day over the suspected Iran-linked plot at RAF Fairford. The AP report in the Globe places the arrest amid "heightened concern over threats to American forces stationed in Britain" and notes the Air Force relocated aircraft from RAF Mildenhall.

Center11 outlets

The arrest beside separate Iran-linked threats to US bases

Military Times opens with the arrest coming a day after the US removed refuelling aircraft from RAF Mildenhall over a separate apparent threat from Iran, and notes Iran has denied links to attacks in Britain. Newsweek files a breaking-news report with long statements from Evans, Patel and Stinchon, who says he is "grateful to the UK and the FBI." Deutsche Welle describes Gloucestershire as home to sensitive military and intelligence sites, including GCHQ in nearby Cheltenham.

UPI says authorities have yet to reveal what information the soldier allegedly obtained, or whether any reached Russian intelligence. The Seattle Times runs an AP report headlined on a soldier "assigned to a NATO unit." The AP says a British government official, a US official and a senior NATO official, all anonymous, put him in that unit, and the US official said he is an officer.

The report adds Denmark's intelligence service's assessment of possible Russian attacks on NATO and the NATO commander's remark that the bloc stands ready to fight back should it come under attack.

Conservative9 outlets

Patel's no-tolerance message and espionage arrest record

Fox News reports the arrest of a "senior US Army soldier" and builds on Patel's statement, including his statement that the FBI has made at least 167 counterintelligence and espionage arrests in 21 months, a 53% increase. It also quotes Evans on taking "robust action" and Stinchon on insider threats. Just the News, in a piece by Misty Severi, relays the Metropolitan Police account of the two offenses and Evans's praise for UK-US cooperation.

It reports Patel's message that the FBI has "no tolerance" toward people who violate their allegiance to the US and whose conduct threatens national security, plus his thanks to MI5 and other partners. The New York Post runs an AP report under the headline "US Army soldier arrested in UK on Russian espionage charges." Its text says police arrested him on suspicion of espionage and indicates no connection to the suspected Iran-linked plot at RAF Fairford.

The Washington Times headline says a senior soldier is "accused of passing secrets to Russia."

What a side did not mention
All sources: 40 articles from 29 outlets

Liberal (15)

Center (16)

Conservative (9)

Related
  1. Russia says US tip led to teen's arrest over Moscow museum attack threat
  2. British police arrest senior US soldier on suspicion of spying for RussiaThis story
  3. UK court convicts two Iranian men of spying on journalists for Tehran