Man charged with 'conducting hostile activity in the UK in order to benefit' Russia

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) – A British man has been charged with “conducting hostile activity in the UK in order to benefit” Russia, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Friday.

Dylan Earl is “alleged to have engaged in conduct targeting businesses which were linked to Ukraine in order to benefit the Russian state,” a statement from the CPS said.

“Included in the alleged activity was involvement in the planning of an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked commercial property in March 2024.” The 20-year-old man is accused of organizing for an arson attack on an industrial estate in Leyton, east London, in March.

Earl has been charged under the National Security Act 2023 - the first case to involve alleged offences under the new legislation, according to the statement.

Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said four more men were charged in relation with the case.