UK man arrested on suspicion of helping Russian intelligence
Howard Michael Phillips, a 64-year-old Londoner, was arrested by British law enforcement officers on May 23 on charges that he was assisting Russian intelligence operate in the U.K.
There has been an uptick in Russia-linked espionage cases across Europe in recent months, with suspected spies or saboteurs being arrested in the U.K., Poland, Germany, Greece, Austria, Latvia, Italy, Estonia, and other countries.
U.K. authorities did not clarify the specifics of Phillips' alleged espionage activities but said that there was unlikely to be a threat to the general public.
Phillips was charged under the U.K.'s new National Security Act powers, which was passed in 2023 and enables police to detain suspects without a warrant if they "reasonably" believe they are engaging in "foreign power threat activity."
A U.K. man with alleged ties to the Wagner mercenary group was arrested in April for allegedly trying to organize an arson plot after reportedly being recruited as a Russian spy.
The suspect, 20-year-old Dylan Earl, was also charged under the National Security Act powers.
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