US bombers withdrawn from UK base after security arrests
All US Air Force bombers stationed at RAF Fairford have been flown back to the United States following a security incident that led to the arrest of several suspects, British officials said.
The United States Air Force has removed every bomber it had deployed at RAF Fairford in England, returning the aircraft to their home bases in the United States, a Pentagon spokesperson told CBS News. The move follows a police investigation that resulted in the arrest of five British men and a dual-national suspect on suspicion of terror-related offenses near the airfield.
Police said the five men, all in their twenties and from London, were detained on September 27 after investigators found gasoline in three vans linked to them, though no explosives were discovered. The suspects were later released on bail. A 25-year-old U.K.–Iranian national was also arrested on suspicion of plotting a terror attack and released on bail.
"U.S. Air Force bombers routinely operate around the world to support global force readiness and operational requirements," the Pentagon spokesperson said, adding that the bomber crews remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities from the continental United States at any time.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there are “strong indications” that Iran was involved in the incident and emphasized ongoing cooperation with U.S. authorities.
"There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but of course it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation, and of course we are working closely with our colleagues in the United States of America," Burnham told the BBC.