Germany arrests British man suspected of spying

German police arrested a British man who worked at the British embassy in Berlin Wednesday (August 11)

on suspicion of passing documents to the Russian intelligence service in exchange for cash.

Identified only as David S., German prosecutors said that his apartment and workplace had been searched and he would be brought before an investigating judge later on Wednesday.

British police said the man was 57.

In a statement, Germany's chief federal prosecutor's office said, quote:

"On at least one occasion, he passed on documents he had obtained in the course of his professional activities to a representative of a Russian intelligence service."

Both Russia's Federal Security Service and Foreign Intelligence Service did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

The man was arrested on Tuesday in Potsdam, just outside Berlin. He was employed as a local staff member at the embassy until his arrest, which was the result of a joint investigation by German and British authorities, the prosecutors said.

British police said in a statement that the man was arrested on suspicion of committing offenses related to being engaged in "Intelligence Agent activity."