The UK Police has arrested a senior soldier in the U.S. Army on suspicion of spying for Russia.
The arrest of the unamed US soldier happned near Gloucester, a city in western England, on Tuesday as part of an investigation by the U.K.’s Counter Terrorism Policing.
British police worked with U.S. authorities, including the military and the FBI, in their investigations.
A senior NATO military official confirmed on Tuesday that the American service member was assigned to the military alliance’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC).
ARRC, headquartered in the English county of Gloucestershire, is a 3-star NATO headquarters with more than 400 permanent staff from more than 20 nations ready to deploy land forces where they are needed.
The American soldier is suspected of committing offenses under Sections 1 and 3 of the U.K.’s National Security Act, which relate to obtaining or disclosing protected information, while Section 3 involves assisting a foreign intelligence service.
The maximum penalty is life imprisonment for a Section 1 offense and 14 years’ imprisonment for a Section 3 offense. A fine may also be imposed for either offense.
In reaction to the recent development, Sean Stinchon, Commanding general of U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command said, “The alleged conduct of a senior solider, entrusted with sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent.”
Could this act create some friction between UK and US intelligence?
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