Three men have been arrested by British police on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service in a case related to China.
A 39-year-old man was arrested in London, while a 68-year-old man and a 43-year-old man were arrested in Wales. The arrests were carried out by counter-terrorism officers. All three individuals are currently being held in custody.
The detentions were made under the National Security Act 2023, legislation that was introduced to enable prosecutors to bring suspected spying cases to trial under broader legal provisions.
Search operations were conducted at the properties where the arrests took place, along with additional addresses across London, Wales, and Scotland, according to police.
It was stated by Commander Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing in London, that although the investigation concerns serious matters, no imminent or direct threat to the public is believed to be connected to the case.
The investigation is ongoing.
