U.S. GCHQ spy attack ‘not by hostile state’

Police investigating the stabbing of an American spy on secondment to GcHQ have ruled out any hostile state involvement, it emerged yesterday.

counter- terrorism officers do not believe the attack near the intelligence headquarters in cheltenham was organised by a foreign power. But the victim’s secret work is said to be ‘central to the investigation’.

GcHQ regularly has staff on secondment from its US equivalent, the National Security Agency. last night the woman victim was still in hospital almost a week on from the attack.

locals described how she was sitting in a car outside a leisure centre three miles away from the agency when the knifeman lashed out. The victim staggered out of the vehicle for help. Witnesses have claimed the pair were seen rowing in the car beforehand, suggesting that the victim may have known her attacker.

Police now believe the assailant was acting alone. last night officers were still quizzing a man arrested at the scene. initially, the apparently targeted stabbing was treated as attempted murder, but the 29- year- old suspect, from cheltenham, was re-arrested on suspicion of preparing and instigating a terrorist act a day later.

Police said they were ‘not aware of any wider threat’ to the public. GcHQ and the NSA declined to comment.