Hunt cautions Russia over UK/US citizen arrested over alleged spying

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned Russia on Friday that “individuals should be not used as pawns in a diplomatic chess game” after US/UK citizen Paul Whelan was detained in Moscow on espionage charges.

“We are extremely worried about Paul Whelan, we have offered consular assistance,” Hunt said. “The U.S. are leading on this because he is a British and American citizen.”

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this week that the US government was attempting to find out the reason behind Whelan’s arrest and would demand his immediate release if there are no grounds for the detention.

Whelan was detained by Russia’s FSB state security service in Moscow last Friday on suspicion of spying but his family claimed he was only visiting Moscow for a wedding.

According to Reuters, who cited Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Friday, British officials have applied for consular access to Whelan.