Britain announced that Iran was involved in an incident at the RAF Fairford airbase, which is jointly used by the British and American air forces. Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister of Britain, stated in an interview with the BBC that the British government is investigating this incident and will provide more information in the future.
Details of the incident and arrests
In the early hours of Sunday, five British men in their twenties were arrested by Gloucestershire police due to reports of suspicious vehicles near RAF Fairford. The men were detained on suspicion of violating explosives regulations and preparing to carry out a terrorist act. However, after inspecting the vehicles, officials found no viable explosive devices, but police reported recovering some gasoline from these vehicles.
Investigations and security dimensions
The men were released on bail after their arrest, but investigations are ongoing. The anti-terrorism police are leading the investigation into the possible motives behind this incident. Lawrence Taylor, the Deputy Commissioner of the anti-terrorism police, stated that "every possible angle" is being examined, including whether this incident may have been carried out by representatives or individuals acting knowingly or unknowingly on behalf of a foreign government.
Burnham's remarks came after Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated that the RAF Fairford incident is "clearly in the hands of a foreign actor." The Prime Minister of Britain also mentioned that the government has been in contact with their counterparts in the United States throughout the week to provide explanations regarding what is happening and how it is being managed. He also expressed complete confidence in the security of British services.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Air Force was authorized to use RAF Fairford for carrying out "defensive" strikes against Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Britain in July that any British military base used by the United States for attacks would be a legitimate target.
