Trial in London: British ex-soldier guilty of spying for Iran

A former British soldier has been found guilty of spying for Iran. The court in London found it proven that the 23-year-old had passed on secret information such as a list of soldiers and members of the SAS special unit to Iranian contacts. Accordingly, the man, whose mother was born in Iran, contacted Iranian intelligence officials shortly after joining the army at the age of 16.

The case also caused a stir because the defendant made a spectacular escape from Wandsworth Prison in London, where he was being held in custody, just over a year ago. To do this, he tied himself with clothes under a van. After several days he was caught. British security forces reportedly feared that he might take refuge in the Iranian embassy in London or in Iran.

The defendant wanted to be James Bond

In court, the 23-year-old and his lawyer downplayed the espionage allegations. He had hoped to become a double agent and “thought he could be James Bond,” said his defense attorney. He only gave the Iranians false or useless information.

The defendant described himself as a patriot. “I’m certainly not a terrorist or a traitor,” he said. Rather, he was upset when a superior, referring to his mother, told him that he would not be able to pass the strict security check and would not be able to fulfill his dream of working as a secret service agent.

The British security authorities, however, view the man as a threat to national security. Sentencing for breaching security and terrorism laws and prison escape is expected at a later date. The man was acquitted of the charge of preparing a dummy bomb in his barracks.