Two British men have been charged with helping Russian intelligence after a suspected arson attack on a business linked to Ukraine.

Prosecutors announced Friday that Dylan Earl, aged 20, and Jake Reeves, 22, had been charged with national security offenses after a blaze at a warehouse in east London in March.

A statement from the U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Earl, who was arrested earlier this month, had been charged with “assisting a foreign intelligence service,” as well as aggravated arson and planning conduct which could endanger life or create “a serious risk to the health and safety of the public in the United Kingdom.”

The CPS named the foreign state as Russia.

Reeves meanwhile faces charges of agreeing “to accept a material benefit from a foreign intelligence service,” as well as arson.

Three other defendants — Nii Mensah, Dmitrijus Paulauska and Paul English — all face arson but not espionage charges, while Paulauska is accused of having “information about terrorist acts.”

Westminster Magistrates’ Court lifted reporting restrictions on the men’s identities Friday. They will next appear at the Old Bailey on a date to be confirmed.

Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terror command said in a separate statement that the move to charge the men was “extremely serious” and marked the first time anyone has been arrested and charged under the U.K.’s National Security Act, which kicked in last year and specifically took aim at foreign snooping.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Friday: “While we must let the judicial process run its course, I am deeply concerned by allegations of British nationals carrying out criminal activity on U.K. soil to benefit the Russian state.

“We will use the full weight of the criminal justice system to hold anyone found guilty of crimes linked to foreign interference to account.”

Politico

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