British soldier accused of spying for Iran

British soldier, who served in Afghanistan, is accused of spying for Iran by passing along coded messages to the Iranian military attache in Kabul. With spies there are only two things you can do with 'em: prisoner swap for your spies captured by the enemy or execute them. Guardian

A soldier accused of spying for Iran while serving in Afghanistan was acting strangely by taking photos of Tony Blair while he was on a visit to the country, a court heard today.

Corporal Daniel James, 45, worked as an interpreter for General David Richards, the head of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, and is alleged to have been passing coded messages to the Iranian military attache in Kabul after being called up as a Territorial Army reservist in 2006.

The Old Bailey heard that James, an Iranian-born salsa dance instructor from Brighton, accompanied the officers who met the then prime minister's helicopter when it landed at a Kabul base, and walked alongside the group taking photographs.

Speaking via a video link from Afghanistan, sergeant Gareth Podesta, a member of Richards' close protection team, told the court it was "strange" that James was going to meet Blair's visiting party.

"He was out on the football pitch which is where the helicopters land, taking photos," Podesta said. "There was nobody else apart from the general and his close staff, and the protection team such as myself. It seemed strange why he was there."

And no one bothered to ask him what he was doing there?