British Sailor Admits Trying To Pass Secrets To Russia

A British Royal Navy submariner has admitted to collecting secret coding programs that could aid an enemy of the state.

In a London court appearance, Petty Officer Edward Devenney pleaded guilty to gathering details of "crypto-material" -- programs used to encrypt secret information.

He was arrested earlier in a British intelligence sting operation.

Devenney was charged with communicating information that could be "directly or indirectly useful to the enemy."

He acknowledged discussing the movement of British nuclear submarines with two agents he thought worked for Russia. They were actually members of the British secret service posing as Russian agents.

Devenney will be sentenced on December 12.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP