UK arrests US Army member suspected of helping Russia

A ‌senior member ​of the US Army was arrested in Britain on suspicion ‌of assisting Russian intelligence, British police said on Tuesday.

The 41-year-old man was arrested near the city of Gloucester, west ‌England, on Tuesday and remains in custody ‌at a London police station, police said. He was arrested on suspicion of offences under sections 1 and 3 of the ⁠National Security ​Act, ⁠which relate to obtaining or disclosing protected information and assisting a ⁠foreign intelligence service. Police said the country to which ​the allegations relate is Russia.

FBI Director Kash Patel said: "This ⁠important arrest involves allegations of espionage, which is of the ⁠utmost concern ​to the United States and our allies." Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, the commanding general of US ⁠Army Counterintelligence Command, added: "The alleged conduct of a senior soldier, ⁠entrusted ⁠with sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent."