British police have arrested a high-ranking American military officer suspected of supporting Russian intelligence services

A 41-year-old American military officer was arrested on Tuesday near the city of Gloucester, in western England, on suspicion of assisting Russian intelligence services. The man is in police custody at a station in London, and the investigation is being conducted under the UK National Security Act.

British police said the suspect faces allegations related to obtaining or disclosing protected information and assisting a foreign intelligence service. Russia is the country identified in the investigation. Authorities have so far provided no details about the officer’s identity, exact position, or the information he allegedly attempted to transmit.

FBI Director Kash Patel described the arrest as significant and said that espionage allegations are a matter of the utmost concern for the United States and its allies.

Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, head of the U.S. Army’s Counterintelligence Command, said the alleged conduct of a military officer with access to sensitive information highlights the real and persistent nature of insider threats. The investigation is ongoing, and the allegations will be assessed by British authorities.