A British man has been charged with assisting Russian military spies in a United Kingdom sabotage plot, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Joshua Cammidge, 31, faces charges of engaging in conduct to materially assist a foreign intelligence service in carrying out activities that violate the National Security Act. Counterterrorism police arrested Cammidge last week, though authorities have not released specific details about the alleged sabotage he may have planned or intended to carry out.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis declined to comment on the specifics of the case, citing its ongoing nature, but stated that law enforcement acted to address a potential threat. "We’ll continue to take whatever action is necessary to defend against the range of threats we face from Russia," Jarvis said, addressing concerns about recent incidents across Europe aimed at sowing fear and undermining support for Ukraine.
According to prosecutors, Cammidge was in communication with a suspected representative of the GRU Volunteer Corps, an organization identified as being controlled by Russia’s military intelligence agency. U.K. authorities designated the GRU Volunteer Corps a national security threat in July, citing its role in collecting foreign intelligence and conducting hostile covert operations on behalf of Russian military intelligence.
Under a new law aimed at increasing government powers to counter proxy organizations acting on behalf of foreign states, assisting the GRU is now a prohibited offense. Individuals convicted of supporting the group face a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years.
The GRU has been previously implicated by U.K. authorities in hostile activities against the country and its allies, including the 2018 Salisbury nerve agent attack and broader sabotage and intelligence operations across Europe.
Cammidge is scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Thursday. He was not immediately available for comment.