A 22-year-old British man was arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, as part of an investigation into a security incident last month near R.A.F. Fairford, an air base used by the United States. Counterterrorism police have now arrested seven men in connection with the incident, which occurred in the early hours of Sept. 27. Police also searched a London property linked to the man.
Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said the investigation remains live, with teams pursuing multiple lines of inquiry. Five British men in their 20s were initially arrested after traveling in three white vans toward the base. They were released on bail after no explosives were found, only a container of fuel. Another British-Iranian national was arrested on Thursday and also released on bail.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC there were strong indications that Iran played a part. British and American officials believe the operation was linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Iran has rejected the accusations. The U.S. pulled its 12 B-1 bombers from the base over the weekend after receiving information about a potential drone attack.
The base has been used for defensive strikes against Iran, and Iran had warned it was a legitimate target. Plane spotters noted the quiet after the bombers left, with some relieved they would no longer be used against Iran.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing