An American diplomat accused of possessing child abuse images was secretly seized from his London home and flown out of Britain by US officials without British police being told, it has been claimed.

The former US serviceman, who was working at the American Embassy in Nine Elms, south London, was allegedly taken from his flat in Putney after a dawn raid on August 25.

Sources claim US officials discovered child abuse images at the property after they launched an investigation into the man’s brother, who is based in America and is accused of sending abusive material to the diplomat.

But British authorities were said to have been informed only after he had been flown out.

The claims have prompted furious questions over whether US officials bypassed British criminal justice procedures and have led to meetings involving senior Metropolitan Police figures and ministers.

A source told The Sun: ‘They should have told Scotland Yard when they carried out the raid, and certainly when they found material.

‘Instead we think they have taken him to a US airbase and flown him 4,000-plus miles to where his brother was being investigated. We think it was a dawn raid before they then took him to the base in a US military convoy.

‘The man may well face justice in the US but he should be before the courts here.’

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