Espionage

Woman, 65, working for government arrested on suspicion of passing secrets to foreign power

A 65-year-old woman suspected of passing state secrets to countries such as Russia or China was arrested by anti-terrorism officers yesterday.

The woman, a British national who has been working for as a contractor for a Whitehall department, was held at her north London home by officers acting on a tip-off from the intelligence services.

She was arrested by Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command on suspicion of an offence under the Official Secrets Act, which covers espionage and passing secrets to an enemy.