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British-Iranian man arrested in London over suspected terror plot at RAF Fairford airbase
UK counter-terrorism police find petrol but no explosives in vans near RAF Fairford, arrest five men
British counterterrorism police arrested a 27-year-old dual British-Iranian national in London’s Westminster district on Thursday on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts linked to a weekend security incident near RAF Fairford airbase.
The arrest follows the early Sunday detentions of five British men in their 20s near the Gloucestershire base, who were later released on bail after no explosives were found—only gasoline—in their vehicles. A 26-year-old British man was also questioned under caution, and searches were conducted at two London properties.
National Counter Terrorism Policing coordinator Vicki Evans said the investigation into the Fairford incident is “enormely complex,” with specialist teams pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, including “possible involvement of a foreign state.” Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC on Wednesday there were “strong indications” of Iranian involvement, a claim Tehran has repeatedly denied. Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador in Tehran on Thursday over the allegations.
RAF Fairford, used by U.S. forces for long-range bombing missions against Iranian missile sites since March, was designated a “legitimate target” by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in July. The initial police response was triggered by reports of three white vans and masked men near the base in the early hours of Sunday.
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