American soldier named after UK arrest over alleged spying for Russia
A US Army lieutenant colonel stationed in the United Kingdom has been named after being arrested in Gloucestershire on allegations of espionage for Russia. British counter-terrorism police detained Lt Col Brandon Carroll Tyner in Gloucester this week, and officers have searched two addresses in the county as part of the inquiry. He can be held until at least Tuesday after a warrant of foreign detention was granted.
Advert for a company owned by the publisher of 360LiveNews.
The US military said Tyner, 41, had been based at Imjin Barracks in Innsworth, where he was assigned to the headquarters of Nato's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. According to the information released, he joined the US forces as a senior human resources officer in 2008 and had previously undertaken deployments in Iraq, Qatar and Afghanistan. He is accused of sharing secret information with Russian intelligence, although the investigation remains ongoing.
The case has drawn attention because it involves a serving American officer stationed in Britain and allegations that reach into allied security structures. FBI director Kash Patel said the allegations were of the utmost concern to the United States and its allies. Brig Gen Sean Stinchon, the commanding general of US Army Counterintelligence Command, said Tyner had been entrusted with sensitive information and described insider threats as real and persistent.
The arrest also comes against the backdrop of continuing concern among Western governments about espionage, insider risk and the protection of classified material. Tyner's posting at a Nato-linked headquarters makes the case sensitive for both US and British authorities. The inquiry is being handled as a counter-terrorism matter in the UK, underlining the seriousness with which officials are treating the allegations.
Advert for a company owned by the publisher of 360LiveNews.
The Kremlin has denied that the officer has any links to Russia. Its spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the arrest did not concern Moscow and that Russia had nothing to do with the case. No evidence has been made public in the material provided, and the exact nature of the information allegedly shared has not been disclosed.
What happens next will depend on the continuing police investigation and any further court or detention decisions. It is not clear whether Tyner will face charges, or what additional evidence investigators may present. The case is likely to remain closely watched because of its implications for allied military security and intelligence cooperation.
