US secretly extracts alleged child-porn possessor diplomat out of UK
What's the story
An American military attaché at the United States Embassy in London was reportedly detained and secretly flown back to the US after authorities allegedly found child pornography on his devices. The attache, whose identity remains undisclosed, is said to have received the illicit material from his brother in the US. This led to a raid on his London apartment late last month, according to The Sun.
Diplomatic tension
British MP accuses US of 'protecting pedophiles'
The operation has sparked anger among British politicians, with Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty accusing the US of "protecting pedophiles."
He alleged that the US conducted a raid on British soil without jurisdiction and used military resources to transport the suspect back.
According to the BBC, it is understood that the individual worked at the US embassy in Vauxhall, southwest London, and, despite not being a diplomat, enjoyed the umbrella of diplomatic protection.
He was flown back on a commercial flight.
Official statements
US defends operation, claims it acted decisively
The diplomatic incident comes just days before British PM Andy Burnham's meeting with President Donald Trump at the UN in New York.
A spokesperson for the British government said they expect all foreign diplomats to abide by UK laws but declined to comment further due to an ongoing US investigation.
"We are aware of allegations...The United States government expects all personnel to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, and we take these allegations seriously," an Embassy spokesperson told NYP.
Case
Similar case
The incident comes two months after then-deputy PM David Lammy said he would discuss with the US government the case of an American jet pilot who evaded a trial under English law for strangling a woman in Cambridge.
Captain Jacob Wulfson was tried before a court martial on a US airbase, despite the fact that his alleged crime occurred while he was off duty, and was sentenced to six months in prison after being convicted of strangulation.