A man of British and Azerbaijani nationality, Rashad Sultanov, aged 44, residing in Islington, north London, was apprehended by Cypriot authorities on July 17 for suspected hostile surveillance activities at RAF Akrotiri, a UK military base in Cyprus. He is currently detained pending extradition proceedings.
The arrest is linked to a probe conducted by Counter Terrorism Policing London focusing on reported incidents at RAF Akrotiri from May 11 to June 22 this year. Charges have been sanctioned by the Crown Prosecution Service under Sections 3 and 4 of the National Security Act, alleging Sultanov engaged in hostile surveillance at the base and shared gathered intelligence with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a foreign intelligence agency.
Commander Helen Flanagan, leading Counter Terrorism Policing London, emphasized the utilization of the National Security Act in international scenarios when British military installations face potential threats from hostile state actors. Extensive collaborative efforts have been undertaken between British and Cypriot law enforcement agencies in this case.
Ongoing cooperation with the Crown Prosecution Service, National Crime Agency, and Cypriot authorities is maintained as the extradition process advances.