Was Iran involved in the suspected RAF base bomb plot used by the US? What the police said | Today’s news
British counter-terrorism police were investigating a possible Iranian link to the bomb at a US air base on Monday after five men were detained on suspicion of planning a “terrorist act”.
The investigation was launched after authorities received information shortly after midnight on Sunday about three “suspicious” white vans which appeared to be traveling towards the vicinity of RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, south-west England.
Police detained five men on suspicion of explosives-related offenses and subsequently arrested them on suspicion of “preparing a terrorist act,” according to AFP. The five suspects remained in custody on Monday as police continued to question them.
Authorities have not released specific details about the suspected threat, saying it was “contained” Sunday night. Specialist bomb disposal operators were also seen at the scene.
Residents evacuated following a police cordon near RAF Fairford
A resident of the village of Whelford, which is near the air base, said she contacted police after noticing three white vans blocking the road and several masked men in the early hours of Sunday. The woman, who has not been named, told the BBC on Monday that police had “dropped the ball” over the suspected threat.
But British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said the resident only had a “partial picture”, suggesting authorities were aware of the situation before they took her call.
About 85 households in the village were evacuated early on Sunday and spent the night outside their homes, while a police cordon remained in place around Whelford on Monday.
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“They wanted to do great damage to our fortress”: Trump
US President Donald Trump shared more details about the incident than British authorities, saying the UK and US had held the suspects “under investigation” for some time.
“They wanted to do a lot of damage to our fortress and working with the British worked great,” Trump said during a visit to Chicago. “We had our eye on them for a long time and we got them.
Trump later told reporters that “we know all about them” when questioned about the suspects. He also appeared to nod when asked if the case was related to Iran.
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“You’re going to hear about it very soon. We caught them,” Trump said without elaborating.
Iran has warned Britain against US use of bases
Tehran has previously warned London not to allow the United States to use British military bases for operations targeting Iran.
In March, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused then British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of “endangering British lives” by allowing the bases to be used “for aggression against Iran”.
However, when asked on Monday whether the incident could be linked to a hostile state, Streeting said he “doesn’t want to speculate at this stage of the investigation”.
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The UK Home Office has previously accused Iran and Russia of using proxies to carry out criminal activities on their behalf in Britain.
RAF Fairford sees increased US military activity
In March, Britain authorized the United States to use Fairford Air Force Base for “specific defense operations into Iran” aimed at destroying Iranian missiles at their source.
Since then, US bombers and other military aircraft have reportedly been seen arriving and departing from the airfield, the only base on mainland Britain used for this purpose.
Residents of the Cotswolds countryside around Fairford said the base, which houses US military personnel and equipment, is generally quiet throughout the year. However, they have seen increased activity and security in the area in recent months following the start of the US operation.
