Member of US army arrested on suspicion of espionage
He was detained near Gloucester
Last updated 11th Nov 2026
A member of the US Army has been arrested, on suspicion of offences under the National Security Act 2023, which relate to Russia, Counter Terrorism Policing London has said.
The man, said to be a “senior soldier”, was arrested as part of an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP), working closely with US authorities, the US military and the FBI, the force added.
The 41 year-old has been arrested, on suspicion of offences under Section 1 and Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023, near Gloucester, on Tuesday.
An FBI official said the arrest involves allegations of espionage.
He remains in custody at a London police station.
Officers are carrying out searches at two locations in Gloucestershire.
CTP said the country to which the allegations relate is Russia.
It comes as the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced terrorism-related charges against three men over, their alleged involvement in a string of incidents across the US and Europe, including a suspected Iran-related terror incident, near RAF Fairford, in September.
The DOJ said Iranian-Iraqi national, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Iranian national, Mohsen Mohajeri and Iraqi national, Mohammad Ali al-Hassani had been charged, in connection with their activities in support of two US-designated foreign terrorist organisations (FTO) – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah.
The men were charged in an eight-count indictment which was unsealed yesterday (Tuesday), the department said.
According to the indictment, the men were involved in nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks throughout Europe and the US, including the RAF Fairford incident.