British man charged with spying for China in smuggling plot

Shorouk Express

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A British man has been charged with spying for allegedly trying to smuggle “sensitive American military technology” to China.

The US Justice Department said John Miller, who is from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, is accused of interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking, and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act.

The Justice Department added that the US is seeking to extradite Mr Miller from Serbia, along with his co-accused, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China.

The most serious offence they are accused of – violation of the Arms Export Control Act – carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

According to the Mail on Sunday, a neighbour said Mr Miller, 63, often travelled to the Far East for work.

Court documents released by the US Attorney’s Office said the pair “solicited the procurement of US defence articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China”.

The pair reportedly discussed ways to export a cryptographic device from the US to China, including concealing the device in a blender, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong.

Court documents said they paid around 10,000 dollars (£7,400) as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the US and a wire transfer to a US bank account.

If convicted Mr Miller could also face the maximum penalties of five years in prison for conspiracy, five years in prison for interstate stalking, and 10 years in prison for smuggling (AFP via Getty Images)

The two men are also said to have been part of a plot to prevent an individual who had been critical of China’s President Xi Jinping from protesting his appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in November 2023.

In the weeks leading up to the Apec summit, they are accused of coordinating an interstate scheme to conduct surveillance on the victim by installing a tracking device on his car and slashing its tyres.

Another offence relates to the spring of this year, when the dissenter announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of Mr Xi and his wife.

In connection with these plots, the accused are said to have paid two other individuals approximately 36,500 dollars (£27,010) to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. These two individuals were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.

Deputy attorney general Todd Blanche said: “As alleged, the defendants targeted a US resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime.

“This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on US soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defence systems.

“We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.”

The pair reportedly discussed ways to export a cryptographic device from the US to China, including concealing the device in a blender, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. (Shutterstock / Dzelat)

US attorney Bill Essayli, for the Central District of California, said: “The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticised the Chinese government and its president.

“My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.”

Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said: “The FBI will not tolerate transnational repression targeting those in the United States who express dissenting opinions about foreign leaders.

“Both defendants face serious stalking charges in Los Angeles and my office intends to hold them accountable for bullying a victim, a critic of the PRC (People’s Republic of China), and targeting him with violence.”

If convicted Mr Miller could also face the maximum penalties of five years in prison for conspiracy, five years in prison for interstate stalking, and 10 years in prison for smuggling.

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