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Man charged with spying offences linked to Iran

BBC The frontage of Westminster Magistrates' CourtBBC
The suspect has been charged with a National Security Act offence

A 39-year-old man has been charged with assisting Iran's intelligence service.

Vahid Aberi, of Liverpool, was arrested in Birmingham on Wednesday following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing.

Aberi was taken to a police station in West Midlands with detectives later carrying out searches at properties in Birmingham and Liverpool as part of their investigation.

He has since been charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service under the National Security Act 2023 and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court later.

Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: "We have seen a significant and sustained increase in the tempo of our work in national security investigations in recent years.

"This case is yet another example of where we've intervened to disrupt suspected activity linked to foreign intelligence services.

"While we can't comment in detail around the allegations now that a man has been charged, I do want to reassure the public that we have not identified any direct threat to them nor any threat towards a community or individual in connection with this investigation."

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