A British-Iranian man has been arrested in London in connection with an investigation into suspected terrorist activity near RAF Fairford, a military airbase in Gloucestershire that has been used by the United States military.
Counter Terrorism Policing said the 27-year-old dual national was arrested in Westminster on Thursday, October 1, on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. A second man, a 26-year-old British national, was also questioned under caution, while officers searched two properties in Westminster.
The latest arrest brings the number of people arrested in the investigation to six. Five British men in their 20s were detained near RAF Fairford on Sunday, September 27, after police received reports of suspicious vehicles and people close to the airbase. Those five men were later released on police bail and remain under investigation.
The investigation has become an international security issue because RAF Fairford has been used by US aircraft for military operations involving Iran. British counterterrorism officers have said they are examining several possible explanations for what happened, including the possibility of foreign state involvement.
Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, described the investigation as “hugely complex” and said specialist teams were pursuing multiple lines of inquiry. She added that officers were examining “all possible angles”, including possible involvement by a foreign state.
The investigation began after three vans were found near the airbase in the early hours of Sunday. The five men were initially arrested over suspected explosives offences before terrorism-related suspicions were added. Police later confirmed that no explosive devices had been found in the vehicles, although a quantity of petrol was recovered.
The possible Iranian connection has become one of the most closely watched aspects of the case. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday that there were “strong indications” Iran had played a part in the events at RAF Fairford, while stressing that the investigation remained ongoing and serious.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also said Washington believed a foreign actor was involved. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu separately said Israel had passed intelligence to British authorities concerning an alleged Iranian-backed attack. Those claims have not established that the suspects acted on behalf of the Iranian government, and Tehran has rejected accusations of involvement.
The circumstances surrounding the first police response have also attracted attention. British media have reported that one of the men later arrested had contacted the 999 emergency service before a local farmer reported suspicious vehicles and masked people near the airbase. Investigators are examining why that call was made and whether it could provide information about what happened before the arrests.
Police have not publicly established what the five men intended to do at RAF Fairford, nor have authorities announced charges against the newly arrested British-Iranian man. The latest arrest and searches indicate that investigators are continuing to trace the wider circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether there was any connection between the people detained near the airbase and individuals in London.
Counter Terrorism Policing has appealed to anyone with information that could assist the investigation to contact authorities. The five men arrested on September 27 remain on police bail as officers continue examining evidence gathered from the scene and during the subsequent searches.
