UK counter-terrorism officers have arrested three men on suspicion of assisting a Russian intelligence service, as part of an ongoing national security investigation.
The suspects, aged 44, 45 and 48, were detained during coordinated operations in west and central London on Thursday morning, the Metropolitan Police said.
The arrests were made under section 3 of the National Security Act, which covers assisting a foreign intelligence service.
Officers carried out searches at the locations where the men were arrested, as well as at an additional address in west London. Police have not disclosed the men’s nationalities.
Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said the case reflects a growing trend in which hostile foreign agencies seek intermediaries to operate on their behalf.
“We’re seeing an increasing number of who we would describe as ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services,” Murphy said. “These arrests are directly related to our ongoing efforts to disrupt this type of activity.”
He warned that individuals who knowingly aid foreign states could face severe legal consequences.
“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,” he said.
“This kind of activity will be investigated, and anyone found to be involved can expect to be prosecuted.”
The investigation remains active, with searches and inquiries continuing.
