Five men released on bail over suspected plot at RAF Fairford
British counter-terrorism police freed five men held over a suspected plot near the US-used RAF Fairford airbase, saying the investigation continues.
British counter-terrorism police released on bail five men arrested over a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, an airbase in Gloucestershire used by United States forces, officers said. Laurence Taylor, head of the UK's counter-terrorism police, said the men remain under investigation despite their release, according to BalkanWeb and Klix.ba.
Police were alerted early Sunday after a farmer living near the base called the emergency number at 01:36 local time, having spotted three white vans and masked men close to her home, BalkanWeb reported. She said the men ran off toward a field and the neighbouring village of Kempsford once they noticed her, and that armed officers filled the area within about ten minutes of her call.
The five suspects are British nationals in their twenties, all living in London, according to BalkanWeb; three reside in Westminster, one in Camden and one in Willesden. Police initially held them on suspicion of explosives offences before rearresting them on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
Taylor said investigators are examining several lines of inquiry, including whether the men acted, knowingly or not, as proxies for a foreign state, Klix.ba reported, citing the Press Association news agency. Iran, Russia and non-state armed groups are among the possible links being examined, though officers did not find a functioning explosive device at the scene, according to the same report.
US President Donald Trump said at the White House that he believed the case could be linked to Iran, adding that he personally would not have released the men and referring to earlier reports that the suspects had planned serious damage, Klix.ba said. Iran's embassy in London rejected any connection to the case, calling the claims "baseless and malicious speculation" and saying it reserved the right to take legal action over what it described as Iranophobic propaganda, according to Klix.ba.
What we know
- UK counter-terrorism police released five men on bail over a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, a US-used airbase in Gloucestershire.
- The men, British nationals in their twenties from London, were arrested after a farmer reported suspicious vans and masked men near the base.
- Investigators are examining whether the suspects acted as proxies for a foreign state; Iran, Russia and non-state armed groups are among the lines being pursued.
- No functioning explosive device was found at the scene.
- Iran's embassy in London denied any involvement, calling the allegations baseless.
Not yet confirmed
- The farmer's belief that her phone call may have prevented an attack has not been confirmed by police.
Why it matters for Europe
RAF Fairford is used by American bombers, with the British government's approval, to strike Iranian missile positions that threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Klix.ba reported. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the base a legitimate target in July, according to the outlet.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said Britain must stay alert because Iran and its proxies want to cause it harm, and that the country regularly has to stop attempts to endanger UK interests and allies, Klix.ba reported. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Britain would act decisively against Iranian proxies, while Prime Minister Andy Burnham convened an emergency meeting of the government's crisis response committee after the arrests, according to the outlet.
Sources
Reported by 4 reports from 4 independent outlets in 3 countries.
- Bloomberg — Europe / Politics: UK police said they had released the five men arrested on suspicion of plotting a terror attack on an airbase used by the US on bail.
- Euronews Albania: Komplot për të sulmuar në Britani bazën ajrore amerikane? Nën hetim pesë britanikë të dyshuar
- BalkanWeb: ‘Sulmi’ në bazën amerikane në Britani/ Lirohen me kusht 5 të arrestuarit. Telefonata e gruas zbuloi rastin: Burrat ikën me vrap në drejtim të një fushe
- Klix.ba: Obrat u Velikoj Britaniji: Osumnjičeni za planiranje terorističkog napada pušteni na slobodu, Iran negira umiješanost
Intelligence file
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Questions and answers
- Why were the five men released?
- Police freed them on strict bail conditions while the investigation into the suspected RAF Fairford plot continues, said UK counter-terrorism chief Laurence Taylor.
- How were the suspects first identified?
- A farmer near RAF Fairford called the emergency number after spotting three white vans and masked men close to her home, according to BalkanWeb.
- Has any country been blamed for the plot?
- Investigators are examining possible Iranian, Russian or non-state links, but Iran's embassy in London has rejected any connection, calling the claims baseless.
This article was written with AI assistance from 4 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.