UK police arrest 3 men in London on suspicion of spying for Russia

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LONDON (AP) — British counterterrorism police arrested three men in London on Thursday on suspicion of spying for Russia.

The Metropolitan Police force said that the men, ages 44, 45 and 48, were detained at addresses in the city under the National Security Act “on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service.” Police said that the country in question is Russia.

The force said that officers were searching several London properties in connection with the investigation.

British authorities allege that Russia is conducting an increasingly bold campaign of espionage, sabotage and cybermeddling against the U.K.

“We’re seeing an increasing number of who we would describe as ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services and these arrests are directly related to our ongoing to efforts to disrupt this type of activity,” said Cmdr. Dominic Murphy, head of counterterrorism policing in London.

Last week the head of the MI5 security service, Ken McCallum, alleged that Russia “is committed to causing havoc and destruction.

“In the last year, we and the police have disrupted a steady stream of surveillance plots with hostile intent aimed at individuals Russian leaders perceive as their enemies,” he said.