Authorities have arrested a UK-Iranian dual national following a major security incident at RAF Fairford. The 25-year-old man faces suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. This latest development intensifies the ongoing Fairford terror probe.
Police detained the suspect in Westminster, London. Furthermore, officers have searched two properties in the area. This arrest marks a significant step in a complex investigation.
Meanwhile, five other men, all UK nationals in their twenties, remain on police bail. They were initially arrested near the Gloucestershire airbase on Sunday. All five suspects hail from London.
Counter-terrorism police are actively pursuing “all possible angles,” according to Vicki Evans, the force’s senior national coordinator. This comprehensive approach includes examining potential foreign state involvement. She stressed the investigation’s complexity, noting specialist teams are interrogating multiple lines of enquiry.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham indicated strong signs of Iranian involvement on Wednesday. However, he offered no further details. Tehran has vehemently denied any role in the incident. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also explicitly mentioned the involvement of a “foreign actor” earlier this week.
The security alert began early Sunday morning. Reports detailed three suspicious vehicles heading towards the base. This facility is operated by the US Air Force (USAF).
One of the five men reportedly dialled 999 himself, about an hour before a local farmer alerted police. The farmer reported seeing a large group of masked men near the vehicles. The group was aged between 23 and 25. Four resided in Westminster, and one in Camden.
Initially, these men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences. Later, the charge changed to preparing a terrorist act. They were subsequently released on bail on Monday, a decision police described as “investigative” and “grounded in experience and strategy.” Searches of their vans near the site revealed petrol but no explosive devices. Their homes have also been searched.
RAF Fairford has served as a key forward operating location for the USAF for decades. In recent months, the base has launched US bombers towards the Middle East. This followed UK approval for US “defensive strikes” on Iran.
