A 31-year-old British man has been charged under the National Security Act in connection with alleged interactions with Russia’s military intelligence agency. Joshua Cammidge, a resident of Swindon, is accused of receiving instructions from an individual linked to the GRU Volunteer Corps, which is controlled by Russian military intelligence, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Cammidge was initially arrested at a property in Swindon on Friday by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London, with support from Wiltshire Police. He was transported to a London police station while authorities conducted searches at a separate address in Swindon.
On Saturday, he was further detained under the National Security Act. He now faces two charges: assisting a foreign intelligence service under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023 and engaging in preparatory conduct under Section 18 of the same act.
He is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. Frank Ferguson, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, stated that prosecutors had established sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it was in the public interest to proceed. He emphasized the right to a fair trial and warned against any online commentary that could prejudice the proceedings.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis thanked police for their work in addressing potential threats. While declining to comment on specific case details, Jarvis expressed concern regarding recent incidents across Europe aimed at sowing fear and undermining support for Ukraine, asserting that such efforts would not succeed.
Honestly, I’m just relieved the police moved quickly on this. It’s scary to think how long someone might operate undetected in plain sight.
I wonder if the search at that separate Swindon address turned up any physical evidence or just digital communications. The details are scant.
Fair trial is essential, but the sheer audacity of receiving instructions from a foreign state still feels like something out of a Cold War novel.
Shock that this is happening right now. One might think such direct ties would have dried up by now, but apparently not.
Is the GRU Volunteer Corps officially recognized as part of the Russian military intelligence apparatus? That legal distinction seems crucial here.