By Laura Kemp • Published: 11 Aug 2021 • 13:23
Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Police in Germany have arrested a British man who worked at the British embassy in Berlin for allegedly spying for Russia and passing on documents to the Russian intelligence service in return for cash, prosecutors said today, Wednesday, August 11.
German prosecutors said that the workplace and residence of the man, 57 and known only as David S, have been searched and he will be brought before an investigating judge later today.
Germany’s chief federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement: “On at least one occasion, he passed on documents he had obtained in the course of his professional activities to a representative of a Russian intelligence service.
“The accused received cash in an as yet unknown amount in return for his transmission of information,” it added.
In May, Berlin introduced a proposed law that would give security services and law enforcement new powers to try and stop growing security threats from foreign states.
The man was arrested on Tuesday in Potsdam, close to Berlin. He had been a local staff member at the embassy until he was arrested yesterday, August 10, following a joint investigation by German and British authorities, according to the prosecutors.
British police said in a statement that he was arrested on suspicion of committing offences relating to “Intelligence Agent activity”.
According to British spy chiefs, both China and Russia have attempted to steal commercially sensitive data and intellectual property, also interfering in politics. Russian agents have also been accused of an attack on former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, in Britain in 2018, Reuters reports.
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Originally from UK, Laura is based in Axarquia and is a writer for the Euro Weekly News covering news and features. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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