LONDON, U.K.: A senior US Army soldier has been arrested in Britain on suspicion of helping Russian intelligence, raising concerns about the security of sensitive military information.

British police said the 41-year-old man was arrested near Gloucester in western England on November 10. The arrest came a day after the United States removed refueling aircraft from a British military base following a separate apparent threat from Iran.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the arrest involved allegations of espionage, which were a serious concern for the United States and its allies.

Brigadier General Sean Stinchon, commanding general of the US Army Counterintelligence Command, said the case highlighted the risks posed by people inside military organizations who had access to sensitive information.

"The alleged conduct of a senior soldier, entrusted with sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent," he said.

British police stressed that the arrest was not connected to any other ongoing investigations by Counter Terrorism Policing.

However, it took place amid increased security concerns at US military bases in Britain. On November 9, American aircraft left the Royal Air Force base at Mildenhall in eastern England. According to the Wall Street Journal, the move was prompted by a threat from Iran.

This was the second apparent withdrawal of US aircraft from British bases in three months.

In September, the United States removed bombers from RAF Fairford that had been used in strikes against Iran. The withdrawal followed security concerns linked to an incident that British police connected to Iran. Tehran has denied any involvement in attacks or other incidents in the United Kingdom.

The arrested soldier was detained under sections 1 and 3 of Britain's National Security Act. These provisions cover obtaining or disclosing protected information and assisting a foreign intelligence service.

Police confirmed that Russia was the country linked to the espionage allegations.