Briton Suspected Of Spying For Russia Arrested In Germany

A British man has been arrested in Germany on suspicion of spying for Russia.

German federal prosecutors said the man – named only as David S – worked at the British embassy in Berlin who allegedly passed documents to Russian intelligence “at least once” in exchange for an “unknown amount” of money.

He was arrested in Potsdam outside Berlin on Tuesday and his home and workplace have been searched.

A spokesman for Germany’s foreign ministry said Berlin was taking the case very seriously, and said spying by a close alliance partner on German soil is unacceptable.

The arrest which was the result of a joint UK-German investigation, was intelligence-led and had been going on for some time leading up to the arrest.

MI5 and other UK agencies, as well as British police, had been working with the Germans to learn as much as they could about the alleged activity.

London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest of a 57-year-old British national in Germany, as well as the involvement of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

German authorities are in charge of the investigation, but officers will continue to work with German counterparts, the police said.

German online news site Focus Online reports that the documents passed on were to do with counter-terrorism, and that the man is not thought to have diplomatic immunity.