3 arrested under suspicion of spying for Russia

Three British men were arrested on Thursday, October 23, by the British Police, under suspicion of spying for Russia. The men, aged 44, 45, and 48, were detained at personal addresses in west and central London.

All three men were arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence group, thus enabling UK police to use section 3 of the National Security Act (NSA), 2023, making them eligible for up to 14 years in prison, a fine, or both.

A recent flare of arrests

These arrests come after two men and a woman were arrested in Essex on suspicion of spying for Russia last month.

We’re seeing an increasing number of who we would describe as ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services and these arrests are directly related to our ongoing to efforts to disrupt this type of activity.

-Dominic Murphy, Head of the Counter Terrorism Policing London.

In May, six Bulgarian men were arrested for spying for the Kremlin in the UK and across Europe.

In July, three men were found guilty of an arson attack on Ukraine-linked businesses in east London last year. The coordinated attack was reportedly ordered by Russian mercenary group Wagner, according to prosecutors.

The leader of that group, Dylan Earl, was the first person to be arrested under the new directive of Section 3 of the NSA, 2023.

M15 security director Ken McCallum claimed last week that Russia is committed to “creating havoc and destruction.”

He also stated that “In the last year, we and the police have disrupted a steady stream of surveillance plots with hostile intent aimed at individuals Russian leaders perceive as their enemies,”

On their part, the Kremlin have denied any accusations that it has been connected to British sabotage, claiming that the UK blames Russia whenever something “bad” happens in the Kingdom.

Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Counter Terrorism Policing London, stated on Thursday:

Anyone who might be contacted by and tempted into carrying out criminal activity on behalf of a foreign state here in the UK should think again.

National Security Act, 2023

The National Security Act of 2023 was created to help protect the UK against foreign espionage by increasing the government’s power of investigation and litigation.

The act received Royal Assent in July 2023 and introduced a number of new offences that individuals, organizations, and government workers could be charged with.

The Act also outlined a new penalty of up to 14 years in prison or a fine (or both).

The section used in this case was Section 3, “assisting a foreign intelligence service”.

UK corporations and executives have criticized the act, which carries multiple sections targeting those groups’ use of information.