UK suspects Iranian involvement after arrests near RAF Fairford
British police arrested five men on suspicion of terrorism near the U.S.-used RAF Fairford base, and officials said Iran may have been involved.
British authorities arrested five men in their twenties on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act and preparation of a terrorist act after a report of suspicious vehicles near RAF Fairford, a base used by the U.S. Air Force. Police found no improvised explosive devices but recovered a quantity of petrol. The suspects were released on bail while the investigation continues.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC that the government believes Iran played a part in the incident and that further details will be provided later. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said investigators are examining every possible angle, including the possibility that the activity was carried out by proxies or individuals acting on behalf of a foreign state.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously stated that the incident clearly involves a foreign actor. Burnham added that British officials have been in talks with U.S. counterparts throughout the week and expressed confidence in the handling of the case by British security services.
The incident follows earlier warnings from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that any British base used for U.S. strikes against Iran could become a legitimate target.