U.S. soldier arrested in Britain accused of espionage linked to Russia

A 41-year-old US Army member was arrested in England on suspicion of espionage linked to Russia. The case matters because police say the alleged conduct involved assisting a foreign intelligence service and handling protected information, raising security concerns for the US and its allies.

The arrest took place near Gloucester, around 90 miles west of London, under two provisions of Britain’s National Security Act 2023. Counterterrorism police worked with the FBI and US military, and searches were carried out at two locations in Gloucestershire. Police said the arrest was unrelated to other counterterrorism investigations; the suspect was being held at a London police station.