Journalist 'baffled' after police raid his home in China spy probe
BBCA journalist - who had his house searched by police investigating allegations of spying for China - has told BBC Wales he was baffled to find himself implicated in the case.
Martin Shipton, associate editor for Nation.Cymru, confirmed police forced entry into his house in Cardiff on Wednesday, and served him with a search warrant. He was not arrested.
The Met Police, supported by counter-terror police in Wales and in Scotland, arrested three men with connections to Wales and the Labour Party as part of the investigation and released them on bail on Thursday.
Speaking to BBC Wales, Shipton confirmed he gave police a voluntary statement and was not arrested, adding he had not done anything wrong.
Shipton said police forced entry into his property and served him with a search warrant under the National Security Act 2023.
He understands the search relates to his connections with David Taylor.
Taylor, 39, was one of three men released on bail after being detained on suspicion of spying for China on Wednesday.
He is a former adviser to the Wales Office who is also married to a Labour MP Joani Reid was arrested along with Steve Jones, 68, a former Welsh government special adviser and Matthew Aplin, 43, a former Labour press officer and an ex-member of Reform.
They have been bailed until a date in May and enquiries remain ongoing.
Shipton said it was like a dream and a terrifying experience when officers smashed their way into his house.
He said he had been friends with Taylor for years.
Shipton told BBC Wales he does not have any connection with the Chinese government and has never had any financial involvement with them.
The Met Police said searches were carried out at the addresses where the three men were arrested, and a car outside a property in Pontyclun, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was also searched and photographed.
A spokesperson for the Met Police told BBC Wales it would not be expanding further on its statement at this stage.
Officers also searched two other addresses, in London and East Kilbride in Scotland.
First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan said: "There's a live investigation ongoing at the moment and obviously that means I can't comment.
"I don't want to compromise this investigation, it's something we should take very seriously.
"It's an issue I'm concerned about but I can't comment any further."
