UK says Iran linked to RAF Fairford incident as five suspects get bail
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday that Britain believes Iran played a part in the incident near a Royal Air Force base in south-west England, which is being investigated by the country’s counter-terrorism police. He said there was a “strong indication” of Iranian involvement, but added that it remained a “complex and very serious police investigation”.
Five British nationals in their 20s were arrested on Sunday after police responded to a call linked to the incident and were later released on bail. The case has drawn attention because the base hosts a large number of US Air Force personnel and operations, and US President Donald Trump questioned the decision to grant bail to the suspects.
Speaking to reporters, Burnham said, “There is indeed a strong indication that Iran played a part.” He added, “This remains, though, a complex and very serious police investigation. So, I can’t say any more at this stage. I did chair COBRA (Cabinet Office Briefing Room A emergency meeting) on Monday. We have been waiting to confirm what we could say, but we can now confirm our belief that Iran played a part.”
The arrests were made after police responded to a call in Whelford village near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Iran has previously strongly denied any involvement, with its embassy in London describing the allegation as “Iranophobia”. Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had claimed the incident “clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor”, without giving further details.
Asked why the five men were granted bail despite the seriousness of the case, Burnham said, “I think people need to understand that when it says released – that isn’t as people might think. It’s obviously with the strictest possible bail conditions.” He added, “The authorities have this under the strongest grip and closest control, and I can assure you of that.”
Meanwhile, The Times reported that one of the five suspects had contacted the authorities himself about an hour before the incident over the weekend. The UK’s counter-terror police, which is leading the investigation, said on Tuesday that no explosive devices had been found in the vans stopped near the base, but that a quantity of petrol was recovered. RAF Fairford has been used in recent months by the US military to launch airstrikes against Iran.
The incident in Gloucestershire followed veiled threats against the “British monarchy regime” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in July. The investigation is continuing, with the five suspects out on bail under strict conditions and the UK government saying it believes Iran played a part in the case.
