THE Australian police announced today that it has filed charges against a couple for attempted espionageas he was suspected of trying to leak sensitive information to Moscow.

The 40-year-old woman and her 62-year-old husband, Australian citizens and holders of Russian passports, are charged with “preparation for the offense of espionage,” Rhys Kershaw, the senior federal police official, said during a news conference.

In Australia, police prosecutors can lay charges against suspects. This charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

The couple, who had lived in Australia for more than 10 years, were arrested on Thursday at their home in Brisbane (east). The two suspects appeared separately and briefly on Friday in a city court, according to local media. Both were remanded in custody pending a hearing on September 20, according to the same source.

The woman, who serves in the Australian military, had worked for several years as an “information systems technician” in the Australian armed forces, the federal police commissioner said.

He made “undeclared” trips to Russia during a long leave.

During her stay in Russia, she allegedly explained to her self-employed husband how to log into his official account from their home.

“We are able to confirm that her husband had access to the requested documents and sent them to his wife in Russia,” Kershaw said.

“We confirm that they sought this information with the intention of providing it to the Russian authorities. The question of whether this information was delivered remains a key element of our investigation,” he stressed.

Australia is a member of the “Five Eyes”, an intelligence alliance with the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand, which shares sensitive information.