RAF Fairford arrest: 27-year-old held in major terror probe
Counter-terrorism police in London arrested a 27-year-old dual British-Iranian national on Thursday, Oct. 1, on suspicion of plotting a terror attack, the latest RAF Fairford arrest tied to a weekend security scare at the U.S.-run air base in England. Officers also searched two properties in the capital, Counter Terrorism Policing said.
Alongside the RAF Fairford arrest, a second man, a 26-year-old British national, was questioned “under caution,” CBS News and The Associated Press reported. In the U.K., that means the interview is recorded and may be used in a later prosecution. Neither man has been charged, and both are presumed innocent.
Sunday’s arrests near the base
The case began Sunday, Sept. 27, when police detained five men near RAF Fairford on suspicion of explosives and terror offenses. All five are British nationals in their 20s from London. They were later released on bail.
Police got a call at about 12:45 a.m. that Sunday about three vans heading toward the airfield near Whelford, in Gloucestershire, The Associated Press reported. Officers set up a 400-meter cordon and evacuated about 85 households while army bomb-disposal teams examined the vehicles. Trump praised the operation at the time, saying, “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.”
According to police, officers found gasoline, an accelerant, in three vans linked to the group but no explosives. The speedy releases drew criticism from President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while some in Britain asked whether authorities had overreacted, per CBS News.
UK leaders point to Iran in RAF Fairford arrest probe
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC that “there are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford.” He added that it “remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation” and said British officials had been briefing their U.S. counterparts all week.
Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing, said the investigation behind the RAF Fairford arrest is “hugely complex.” She said, “As we’ve made clear, we’re looking at all possible angles, including possible foreign state involvement.”
Iran denies any role. In a social media statement posted Monday, the Iranian Embassy in London said Tehran “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” what it called unfounded speculation linking Iran to the incident.
Why Fairford is a sensitive target
RAF Fairford, about 100 miles west of London, is owned by Britain but operated by the U.S. military under a Cold War-era agreement. It hosts American bombers and has supported U.S. operations in the Middle East for decades, including strikes during this year’s war with Iran. Iranian officials have warned that bases used to attack the country could be treated as legitimate targets.
British officials have also blamed Iran-linked proxies for a series of arson attacks and other incidents in the U.K. and abroad, many aimed at Jewish communities, CBS News reported. Officials have warned that Tehran could widen its targets in Britain if fighting in the region continues.
Police have not announced charges in the RAF Fairford arrest case. For more international security news this week, see our report on the Flydubai cockpit attack investigation. More stories are in our Special Interests section.