They raided his apartment and flew him out on a cargo plane: The US smuggled a diplomat out of Britain
The United States secretly removed an American diplomat from Britain who was suspected of possessing child sexual abuse material. A US force raided his London apartment and transported him to the US on a cargo plane, without notifying British authorities in advance. The operation sparked outrage in the British law enforcement system and government.
The United States secretly removed an American diplomat from Britain who was suspected of possessing child sexual abuse material, after a US force raided his London apartment and transported him to the US on a cargo plane. British police and authorities were only informed of the investigation after the individual had already been removed from the country. The suspect, whose name and exact role have not been published, is a military veteran who was stationed at the US Embassy in South London. The investigation began following a probe in the US against his brother, who is suspected of sending him materials documenting child sexual abuse. According to reports, US authorities obtained a warrant from a US court, and in the early morning hours of August 25, a US force raided the diplomat's apartment in the Putney neighborhood. The operation was reportedly led by security personnel from the Marine unit stationed at the embassy. They apprehended the suspect and transported him in a convoy to Royal Air Force Fairford. The operation sparked outrage in the British law enforcement system and government. In Britain, there are concerns that the swift removal of the individual thwarted the possibility of investigating offenses allegedly committed on British soil and potential links to other suspects. The affair draws comparisons to the case of Anne Sacoolas, the American citizen who left Britain after killing motorcyclist Harry Dunn in a traffic accident in 2019.