arrested

March 25 (UPI) — British counter-terrorism police made two arrests early Wednesday in connection with an arson attack that destroyed four Jewish volunteer ambulances parked outside a synagogue in London.

The men, aged 47 and 45, were arrested in dawn raids at addresses in northwest London and central London on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and taken to a London police station, where they are being held in custody, the Metropolitan Police said in a news release.

The Met said it was continuing to work to identify another suspect, one of three captured on CCTV pouring accelerant onto the ambulances in the Golders Green area of north London before igniting it in the early hours of Monday.

The fires caused oxygen cylinders inside the vehicles to explode, shattering windows in nearby residential properties and forcing the evacuation of at least 34 people, but no one was injured.

Calling it an “appalling attack,” Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said officers had been working the case around the clock.

“This appears to be an important breakthrough in the investigation, but we’re also mindful that CCTV footage of the incident suggests there were at least three people involved. We fully recognise the local community will still be concerned and our investigation very much remains active and we will continue to work to identify and seek to arrest all of those who may have been involved,” Flanagan said.

More than 260 additional police officers, backed by firearms teams, have been deployed on the streets of Golders Greens and other areas of London with sizable Jewish populations to provide protection and reassurance to those communities.

Police do not routinely carry guns in the United Kingdom.

“We know that community concerns remain heightened and I want to reassure the community that an enhanced, bespoke policing plan and activity, which is particularly focused around vulnerable areas right across London, will continue over coming days and weeks,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams.

“This includes specialist officers and capability being deployed alongside local officers to help protect certain locations and will also involve highly visible armed police patrols to serve as a deterrent to anyone seeking to cause our communities harm. I must stress that these are precautionary and not in response to any specific threat, and we continue to work alongside our colleagues in Counter Terrorism policing to support their investigation,” added Williams who is responsible for policing north west London.

The incident is being treated as an anti-Semitic hate crime, not terrorism, but the Met is investigating a claim made online by an Iranian-linked Islamist group that it carried out the attack.

Speaking during a visit to Washington on Monday, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warned of what he said was the “rapid growth” of threats from the Iranian regime but said it was “too early” to place the blame on Tehran.

Sir Mark said police were pursuing several leads, including “an online claim of responsibility by an Islamist group who have claimed other attacks across Europe and have potential Iranian state links.”

The ambulances belonged to Hatzola Trust, a non-profit volunteer-run Jewish community group providing first responder medical care and hospital transportation free of charge to residents of north London of all religions.

Hatzola works alongside about 2,000 ambulances and support vehicles operated by the London Ambulance Service which is part of the free National Health Service.

Two days after reality TV personality Joseph Duggar was arrested on suspicion of molesting a minor, Arkansas police arrested his wife, Kendra Duggar, on misdemeanor child abuse charges.

Kendra Duggar, 27, as well as Joseph Duggar, 31, face four counts each of endangering the welfare of a minor and second-degree false imprisonment.

According to KNWA, the Tontitown Police Department confirmed that the Duggars’ charges in Arkansas were unrelated to Joseph Duggar’s case in Florida. The news outlet reported that Tontitown police said this separate investigation was “launched on the heels of the alleged incident in Florida.”

People Magazine reported that a source close to the family told the outlet that the arrest was “the result of a home inspection, and the door locks being on the exterior of the doors. “

A spokesperson for the family told People that the charges filed against Kendra Duggar were “totally unrelated” to Joseph Duggar’s case in Florida. “She’s not suspected or accused of participating in his alleged crime.”

Last week, Joseph Duggar, known for the TLC series “19 Kids and Counting,” was arrested in Arkansas by local law enforcement on suspicion of molesting a minor in Florida, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office announced in a statement.

The Sheriff’s Office said it received a report on Wednesday of past sexual abuse involving Duggar and a 14-year-old girl. The girl alleged several incidents of abuse including one when she was 9 years old, police said.

The teenager, according to law enforcement, accused Duggar of molesting her in 2020 while she was vacationing with family and staying at a residence in Panama City Beach.

According to the statement, the victim said Duggar “eventually apologized” for the abuse. Duggar also “admitted his actions to the girl’s father and to Tontitown detectives” in Arkansas, Duggar’s home state, law officials said. The city’s Police Department confirmed Duggar’s arrest in a separate statement, noting it acted on a warrant issued by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

The former reality star was charged with molestation of a victim younger than 12 and “lewd and lascivious behavior conducted” by an adult. Duggar, who is currently jailed at the Washington County Detention Center, awaits extradition to Florida. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

Joseph Duggar, his parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and his siblings garnered reality TV fame in 2008 with the launch of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting.” The series followed the Christian fundamentalist clan who used their television platform to preach purity, modesty and religious devotion. The family’s facade shattered in 2015 when Josh, the firstborn Duggar child, was accused of molesting five younger girls — four of whom were his sisters — when he was 15. The series was canceled that year.

In a separate case, Josh was convicted on two counts of possessing and receiving child pornography in December 2021. He was sentenced to 12½ years in prison in 2022. The Supreme Court rejected his efforts to appeal his case last June.

Amy Duggar Kind, a cousin of Joseph and Josh Duggar and series regular on “19 Kids and Counting,” released a statement prior to the arrest of Kendra Duggar “praying for Joseph’s wife, Kendra, as she begins to process this, and for the protection of their children,” and then a follow-up statement once news of Kendra’s arrest went public.

“My statement released on Friday, March 20th was written and submitted before I had any knowledge of Kendra Duggar’s arrest,” she wrote.

“When I wrote that I was praying for Kendra ‘as she begins to process this,’ I was speaking to what I believed at the time — that she was a wife and mother blindsided by devastating news about her husband. I want that context to be unambiguous. Those words were written in a different moment, with different information. The world changed a few hours later.

“I have now learned that Kendra Duggar was arrested on Friday on four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment. These are serious charges. They are not the same as Joseph’s charges, but they are not small, and I will not treat them as small.

“I am not going to rush to conclusions about what Kendra knew, when she knew it, or what her role was in any of this. That is the job of law enforcement and the courts, and I trust that process to unfold. What I will say is this: the moment a person faces criminal charges for the endangerment of children, my prayers shift. They shift entirely and without apology to the children.

“To the four children in that home — I see you. I pray for you. None of this is your fault, and none of this is your burden to carry.

“To the original victim, who is now fourteen years old and has watched this story explode across every screen in the country: I am so deeply sorry. You did an incredibly brave thing by coming forward. You deserve to have every institution around you work on your behalf — not to protect the people who hurt you, and not to protect the image of a family. You. I am still praying for you and your family above all else.”

Kendra Duggar was booked into the Washington County Detention Center on March 20 and released on a $1,470 bond the same day.

Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.

March 19 (UPI) — Law enforcement officials arrested Joseph Duggar, one of the stars of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting on sex abuse charges involving a 9-year-old girl, Florida authorities said.

The Bay County Sheriff’s Office said Duggar, 31, was arrested Wednesday by authorities in Arkansas and was awaiting extradition to Florida.

He faces charges of lewd and lascivious behavior by a person 18 years or older, and lewd and lascivious behavior involving a victim less than 12 years old.

Duggar’s arrest came after a 14-year-old girl told the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas about sexual abuse that took place when she was 9 years old. She said there were several incidents during a family vacation to Panama City Beach, Fla., in 2020.

“The victim reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap,” a news release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said.

“As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket.”

The release said that during this time, Duggar inappropriately touched the girl. The girl told police that Duggar later apologized and stopped the alleged actions.

The sheriff’s office did not specify how Duggar and the girl knew each other. The release said the girl told her father about the alleged incidents, and her father confronted Duggar on Tuesday.

“Duggar admitted his actions to the victim’s father and to Tontitown detectives,” the release said.

Joseph Duggar’s eldest brother, Josh Duggar, was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison in 2022 on a child pornography conviction. The family’s reality show on TLC was canceled in 2015 after a police report revealed that Josh Duggar molested younger girls.

FORMER 19 Kids and Counting star Joseph Duggar has been arrested for alleged child sex crimes against a nine-year-old girl.

The 31-year-old from Arkansas allegedly molested the child six years ago on a vacation in Florida.

On Wednesday, the former TLC star was charged with molestation of a victim under 12 years old and with lewd and lascivious behavior of a person 18 years or older, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said.

The girl, now 14 years old, told investigators that the incident took place while she was on family vacation in Panama City in 2020.

Duggar, who was booked into the Washing County jail in Arkansas, is awaiting extradition to Bay County.

It is alleged that Duggar asked the victim to sit on his lap, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said.

TV ICON ARREST

Baywatch star ARRESTED for ‘freeing beagles’ in animal rights protest

“As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket,” it has been claimed.

“During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals.

“Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs.”

“The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology,” the authorities said.

The allegations and arrest come after the victim had a forensic interview due to reports of past sexual abuse.

Her father allegedly confronted Duggar about the allegations and the reality star “allegedly admitted his actions to the father and Tontitown detectives,” and the alleged abuse stopped, per officials.

Duggar is married to his wife Kendra, with whom he shares three young children.

The Duggar family has not issued a statement following the arrest.

Meanwhile, Duggar’s brother Josh, is serving a 12 and a half year sentence after being found guilty in December 2021 of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.

It was also previously reported that Josh, now 38, confessed to molesting several children, including four of his sisters.

The family’s reality television show aired between 2008 and 2015 documenting the lives of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar and their 19 children.

It was taken off air after the molestation claims against Josh Duggar.

Aden Holloway, the second-leading scorer for the Alabama men’s basketball team, was arrested Monday on a felony drug charge and may not be available for the Crimson Tide during March Madness, pending the university’s investigation into the matter.

Alabama coach Nate Oats said that after he told his players about the situation, the team went out and had “a really good practice” four days ahead of its first-round NCAA tournament game against Hofstra.

“Aden’s one of our guys, and everybody wants to wrap their arms around [him],” Oats said Monday during an appearance on the Crimson Tide Sports Network. “Everybody makes some mistakes in life, but [the players] also understand we’ve got to move on … and the team’s got to go play Friday.

“So I thought we did a good job of that this morning, kind of addressing the situation, what we currently knew at the time, and got our guys focused on practice.”

Holloway’s arrest came after the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force searched a residence near campus and “recovered more than a pound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash,” the Tuscaloosa Police Department said.

The 21-year-old player is facing a first-degree charge of marijuana possession, not for personal use, which is a Class C felony and carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000.

Police said Holloway also will be charged with failure to affix a tax stamp, another felony. Holloway was taken to jail shortly before 10 a.m. and was released less than an hour later on a $5,000 bond.

Alabama said in a statement Monday: “The University is aware of the allegations and is working to gather more information. The student has been removed from campus pending further investigation by the UA Office of Student Conduct.”

Oats said players need to be held accountable if they fail to meet the standards set by the program.

“So, you know, we had to suspend [Holloway] pending the investigation by the UA office of student conduct,” Oats said. “And we’re certainly disappointed in his behavior. But that being said, we still love him. He’s still our guy. We’re helping him get the help he needs, and we’re going to continue to help him whatever way we can.”

Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide, the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region, continues to prepare to face 13th-seeded Hofstra on Friday without a player who averages 16.8 points a game. Sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr. leads the team with 21.7 points a game, and sixth-year senior Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is averaging 12.8 points.

“I did tell our team, this team more than any team I’ve ever coached is better equipped to handle a situation like this,” Oats said. “I don’t know how many games we went into where we had a game time decision. Guy goes, warms up, and we got to decide whether he’s going to play or not an hour before the game. … We’ve won plenty of games with guys not available, so our guys will be ready to go against Hofstra.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

March 13 (UPI) — Several people, including tourists and influencers, have been arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for possessing, sharing or commenting on digital content that shows attacks or damage from attacks by Iran in the country.

There have been 21 people arrested in the emirate, said advocacy organization Detained in Dubai.

“The charges sound extremely vague but serious on paper. In reality, the alleged conduct could be something as simple as sharing or commenting on a video that is already circulating online,” said Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International.

“Under UAE cybercrime laws, the person who originally posts content can be charged, but so can anyone who reshapes, reposts or comments on it. One video can quickly lead to dozens of people facing criminal charges,” Stirling said.

Penalties can include up to two years in prison, fines ranging from about $5,500 to $55,000, and foreign nationals will face deportation.

“Foreigners need to understand that what may seem like normal social media behavior elsewhere can lead to arrest in the UAE,” Stirling said. “In some circumstances people can find themselves treated as national security suspects before the facts are even clarified.”

One 60-year-old British tourist has been charged under cybercrime laws for allegedly filming Iranian missiles over the city.

“We are in contact with the local authorities following the detention of a British man in the UAE,” the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office told CNN.

The UAE’s ambassador to the United Kingdom told British radio station LBC that the “United Arab Emirates is very safe.”

“The guidelines and regulations are there in the UAE to ensure people’s safety,” he said. He added that people filming could be hit by “falling debris.”

Stirling also said that Qatar has already charged more than 200 people under similar laws since the Iran war began.

The UAE defense ministry said on X Friday that 1,800 drones and missiles have been fired at the UAE since the war with Iran began.

Six people from the Emirates, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have been killed, and 141 people have suffered mild to moderate injuries.

NEW YORK — A counterprotester demonstrating against a “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” event Saturday lighted and threw a device containing nuts, bolts and screws at the protesting crowd after someone from that group used pepper spray on the counterprotesters, police said.

Police are investigating the incident that started late Saturday morning when someone from the anti-Islam protest associated with far-right activist and pardoned Jan. 6 rioter Jake Lang shot pepper spray into a counterprotesting group near the mayoral residence Gracie Mansion, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

Tensions continued to heighten, she said, when one of the counterprotesters lighted and threw a device she described as smaller than a football into the protesting crowd of about 20 people.

The device struck a barrier and extinguished itself “a few feet from police officers,” she said. The same person then ran, and another person gave a him a second device, which they then dropped. The devices were wrapped in black tape with nuts, bolts and screws, as well as a fuse. She said it was unclear whether the devices were functioning explosives or hoaxes.

Three people were arrested, and an investigation is underway, Tisch said.

Tisch at a news conference didn’t report any injuries and said she believed Mayor Zohran Mamdani was not at Gracie Mansion at the time.

She said about 20 people showed up to Saturday’s protest connected to Lang, and the counterprotest had about 125 people at its peak.

Lang was charged with assaulting a police officer with a baseball bat, civil disorder and other crimes before receiving a pardon as part of President Trump’s sweeping act of clemency for Jan. 6 defendants last year. Lang recently announced that he is running for U.S. Senate in Florida.

Last month, Lang staged an anti-Islam protest in Minneapolis during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown there.

Shia LaBeouf says he isn’t too keen on seeking treatment to manage his sobriety after his two arrests over a drunken brawl in New Orleans.

The “Megalopolis” and “Holes” actor, 39, denied struggling with alcohol abuse and seemingly took accountability for his violent Mardi Gras behavior in a rambling interview. He spoke with Andrew Callaghan, the journalist best known for his Channel 5 News YouTube page.

“My side is this: My behavior, b—. I got to deal with that,” the former Disney Channel child star said in the interview published Saturday. “Does that mean I got to go to rehab again? I’m just not into it, bro. I don’t think my answers are there.”

A New Orleans judge last week ordered LaBeouf to begin substance abuse treatment and undergo weekly drug testing after he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting two men in the city’s French Quarter. The actor was initially charged with two counts of simple battery in the Feb. 17 brawl, but he racked up an additional charge for the same count on Saturday.

LaBeouf was released from jail shortly after his first arrest on Feb. 17 and posted $100,000 in bond. More than a week later, on Friday, New Orleans Police Department issued a warrant for LaBeouf’s second arrest in connection with the incident, a spokesperson confirmed. The actor turned himself in on Saturday and was released after posting bond again.

“No regular person would be required to post over $100,000 in bonds, and be jailed two separate times for one misdemeanor incident,” attorney Sarah Chervinsky said, according to the Associated Press. “Just as he does not deserve preferential treatment, Mr. LaBeouf also does not deserve to be treated more harshly by the police and courts just because he is a public figure.”

At the beginning of his chat with Callaghan, LaBeouf said he “1,000%” takes responsibility for the altercation and that he “had a great time” on Mardi Gras. A legal representative for LaBeouf — who has yet to enter a formal plea to the charges — did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

The New Orleans Police Department said its officers responded to a report of an assault on the 1400 block of Royal Street early on Feb. 17. The former “Even Stevens” child star was “causing a disturbance” at the business, leading staff to remove him from the premises, police said. The actor allegedly “used his closed fists” on one of the victims “several times.”

Authorities said LaBeouf left the business but returned, “acting even more aggressive.” According to the incident report, an unspecified number of people tried to subdue him and eventually let him go “in hope that he would leave.” Instead, police said, LaBeouf began assaulting the same man as before, hitting his upper body with closed fists. The actor is accused of punching the second man in the nose.

People held down LaBeouf until officials arrived. He was taken to a hospital, treated for unknown injuries and arrested and charged upon his release.

An additional police report identified a local entertainer as one of LaBeouf’s alleged victims. The “Disturbia” actor, whose history of violent behavior has led to previous arrests and other legal troubles, allegedly threatened the man’s life and shouted homophobic slurs.

LaBeouf told Callaghan that he was drunk and that, leading up to the incident, he “felt infringed upon.” Elsewhere in the conversation, he said, “big gay people are scary to me,” and said he was wary that “three gay dudes are next to me, touching my leg.” He subsequently apologized and owned up to his homophobic comment.

“I wasn’t in my right mind so it’s on me,” he said elsewhere in the interview. “I said words not OK. I’m wrong for what I did.”

“I am wrong for touching anyone, ever and that’s the end of my statement on this whole s—,” he also said.

Additionally, LaBeouf confirmed his separation from “Frankenstein” and “Pearl” star Mia Goth (they share a daughter), discussed his on-and-off sobriety over the years and stated plainly: “I don’t think I have a drinking problem.”

Instead, LaBeouf said he has a “small man complex,” something akin to a Napoleon complex but more “to do with anger and ego more so than my drinking.” For reference, he stands 5 feet 9 inches.

Last week, Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge Simone Levine shared a different take on LaBeouf’s habits. She alleged the actor “does not take his alcohol addiction seriously.”

Chervinsky said during her client’s court appearance that “being drunk on Mardi Gras is not a crime,” a sentiment LaBeouf echoed to Callaghan.

“I was drunk and it was Mardi Gras,” he said.

Feb. 28 (UPI) — Authorities arrested singer Cher’s son, Elijah Allman, for allegedly trespassing and causing a disturbance at a New Hampshire private school, Concord police said.

Known professionally as P. Exeter Blue I, the lead singer of the group Deadsy, he was arrested around 6 p.m. Friday at St. Paul’s School. WMUR-TV in Concord reported that police received information that he was causing a disturbance in the elite prep school’s dining hall.

The Concord Police Department confirmed the arrest to People magazine.

Elijah Allman, 49, has no known connection to the school.

He faces multiple charges, including two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass, criminal threatening and disorderly conduct.

Elijah Allman was detained at Merrimack County Jail and released on personal recognizance, which means no bail was required.

Elijah Allman is the son of Cher and the late Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band. Cher did not immediately respond to a request for comment by People.

Coronation Street viewers are worried for Bernie Winter’s marraige after she was arrested on Thursday night’s episode of the ITV soap following a mysterious attack

Coronation Street fans are worried for Bernie Winter after she was arrested on Thursday night’s episode of the ITV soap. The café waitress, who has been played by Jane Hazlegrove since 2019, has become the victim of stalking in recent weeks after she met the mysterious Mal Roper in a hotel room some weeks ago.

Bernie had turned to drugs following the death of her son-in-law Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank), which came just a couple of years after her son Paul passed away, and met Mal in the Chariot Square Hotel, spending some time in his room before passing out in a nightclub toilet.

Mal had arrived claiming to be the husband of a woman called Alice, whom Roy Cropper thought he had developed a penpal-type relationship with over their love of literature, and quickly got a job at Roy’s Rolls before setting his sights on Bernie. Viewers will know that earlier in the week, he locked her in the cafe and when she eventually made it home, she realised her own face had been cut out of her wedding photo.

READ MORE: Coronation Street to reveal Steve McDonald’s secret brother and we’ve already met himREAD MORE: Corrie icon Sally Ann Matthews blasts soap after exit – ‘I don’t want to waste my time’

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

Things only got worse for Bernie on the latest instalment of the world’s longest-running TV soap as her husband Dev, who already knew about the drugs, and recently she had kissed Mal on that fateful night, delivered some home truths to Bernie.

He said: “Where was your honesty the morning after you betrayed me? Or every day since? Hmm? Because it seems to me, honey, that honesty’s all well and good when it’s convenient.

“It’s not about what you did any more. Yes, it hurts and I hate it! But I’ve been around the block, I can see how it could happen. No, it’s this slow drip of the truth as and when it suits you. This, is how it ends with your lies and your dishonesty.”

Just moments later, a patient was revealed being rushed to Weatherfield General, and it was indeed Mal, with medics speculating that some sort of attack had taken place. A nurse explained to DC Kit Green, Bernie’s long-lost son, that he had suffered a cardiac arrest when he hit his head on the pavement and was in critical condition in intensive care.

Dev later called round to the cafe to reassure Bernie that didn’t want to split up with her, having realised that she just needed to grieve. He begged: “No more sorries. And no more secrets, please. If you love me half as much as you say you do, then we don’t need them, do we?” and they shared a tearful embrace.

But Bernie’s troubles were far from over, as Detective Constable Browning marched into the café, looking for Bernie. He said: “Bernadine Winter-Alahan, I am arresting you on suspicion of assault…” before Bernie pleaded her innocence, to no avail. She begged: “Can you just tell me who I’m meant to have assaulted?” and she told that was a matter that would be discussed at the station.

This all comes after Bernie had some cross words with Mal in the street on Wednesday night, where he insulted her and taunted her over her grief. She warned him to stay away and said if she didn’t she would kill him, but walked away as Mal stood there chuckling.

Fans were convinced that all of this will ultimately spell the end for Bernie and Dev as a couple, who only got married towards the end of last year. One said: “Dev surely can’t forgive Bernie again. Her behaviour was terrible. He doesn’t deserve that.” Another wrote: “No don’t let it be the end of Dev and Bernie” whilst a third wondered: “Is Bernie and Dev over?”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

US Justice Department accuses former Air Force officer Gerald Brown of training Chinese military pilots.

A former United States Air Force officer and “elite fighter pilot” has been arrested and accused of betraying his country for illegally providing training to Chinese military pilots.

The US Department of Justice said ex-Air Force Major Gerald Brown, once known by his pilot’s call sign “Runner”, was arrested on Wednesday in Indiana and charged with a criminal complaint for providing and conspiring to provide defence services to Chinese pilots without authorisation.

Brown, 65, a former F-35 Lightning II instructor pilot with decades of experience in the Air Force, “allegedly betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he swore to protect”, Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director at the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, said in a statement.

“The Chinese government continues to exploit the expertise of current and former members of the US armed forces to modernise China’s military capabilities. This arrest serves as a warning,” Rozhavsky said.

US Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia said Brown “and anyone conspiring against our Nation” will be held accountable for their actions.

According to the Justice Department, Brown served in the US Air Force for 24 years, had led combat missions and was responsible for commanding “sensitive units”, including those involved in nuclear weapons delivery systems.

After leaving the US military in 1996, Brown worked as a commercial cargo pilot before working as a defence contractor training US pilots to fly F-35 and A-10 warplanes.

Brown is alleged to have travelled to China in December 2023 to begin his work training Chinese pilots, and he remained in the country until returning to the US in early February 2026.

His contract to train Chinese pilots was negotiated by Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national who in 2016 pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiring to hack a defence contractor in the US to steal military secrets for China, according to the Justice Department.

The department said Brown faces charges similar to those levelled against former US Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan, who was arrested in Australia in 2022 and is currently fighting his extradition back to the US, where he faces prosecution for violating the US Arms Export Control Act for providing pilot training to the Chinese armed forces.

Duggan appeared in an Australian court in October 2025 to appeal against his extradition, which was approved in December 2024 by Australia’s then Attorney General Mark Dreyfus.

Duggan, 57, a naturalised Australian citizen, was arrested by Australian police in 2022 shortly after returning from China, where he had lived since 2014.

According to the Reuters news agency. Duggan’s lawyer, Christopher Parkin, told the court that his client’s extradition to the US was “uncharted territory” for Australia.

He argued that his client’s conduct was not an offence in Australia at the time or when the US requested extradition, and so did not meet the requirement for dual criminality in Australia’s extradition treaty with the US.

The governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the US published a notice in 2024 warning current and former members of their armed forces that China was seeking to recruit them and other NATO military personnel in order to harness Western military expertise and bolster its own capabilities.

“The insight the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] gains from Western military talent threatens the safety of the targeted recruits, their fellow service members, and US and allied security,” the notice stated.

“Those providing unauthorized training or expertise services to a foreign military can face civil and criminal penalties,” it added.