British-Iranian man arrested on suspicion of ‘preparation of terrorist acts’ in connection with UK airbase plot

A British-Iranian dual national has been arrested on suspicion of “preparation of terrorist acts” in connection with an alleged plot to target a UK airbase used by the US military.

The 27-year-old man was arrested in Westminster, London on Thursday, a day after British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there are “strong indications” Iran was involved in the incident – remarks that appeared to support the United States’ assessment that the incident involved a foreign actor.

A second man, a 26-year-old British national, was “questioned under caution,” British counterterrorism police said Thursday.

Two properties in the area of the latest arrests have also been searched, police said.

“The investigation into circumstances surrounding events in Gloucestershire is hugely complex, and our specialist teams are interrogating multiple lines of enquiry,” said Senior National Coordinator for Counterterrorism Policing Vicki Evans.

“As we’ve made clear, we’re looking at all possible angles – including possible foreign state involvement,” she said.

Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, Burnham said: “There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but of course it remains an ongoing, complex, and serious police investigation.”

“We will say more in due course, but we can confirm our belief that we believe Iran to have played a part,” he said.

“Obviously I wouldn’t say it lightly,” Burnham said, noting that the UK was working “closely” with colleagues in the US.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday the suspected terror plot “clearly involved the hands of a foreign actor”, after Trump said the suspects “might be” connected to Iran.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel had passed on intelligence to Britain “that there was going to be an attack, and it’s an Iranian-sponsored attack”. He did not give details on what kind of intelligence had been provided. CNN has asked the British Prime Minister’s Office for comment.

In response, Iran described the accusations as baseless and summoned the British ambassador in Tehran, Iranian state media reported on Thursday. During the meeting, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi reportedly urged London to revise what he called its “inappropriate approach” toward Tehran.

Iran had previously denied any involvement before Burnham’s remarks and the Iranian embassy in London had hit out at reports suggesting a link between Tehran and the incident, saying it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations” of Iranian involvement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that the UK was “barking up the wrong tree”.

Burnham’s comments come as questions about the incident – which triggered a major security response in the area and sparked international alarm – continue to swirl on both sides of the Atlantic.

Five other men were arrested early Sunday on suspicion of explosive offences and later terrorism charges near a Royal Air Force base at Fairford in western England, from where US B-1 bombers have been flying missions against Iran.

The men – identified only as British nationals between the ages of 23 and 25 and from London area – were quickly released on bail with police confirming no explosives were found in three vans at the scene.

Their release sparked criticism from US President Donald Trump, who said “I wouldn’t have done that”. Police said on Thursday the five men remain on bail.

Burnham on Wednesday sought to reassure both the British public and American authorities that he took the right decision, saying: “I think people need to understand that you know when it says released, that isn’t as people might think. It’s obviously with the strictest possible bail conditions.”

“We’ve been talking to counterparts in the United States all week to explain what is happening here, how things are being done,” he said, adding that he has “complete confidence” in how the security services are handling the case.

Legal experts say that bail is rarely given where there are serious grounds for suspecting terrorism offences. Counter-terrorism laws in the UK allow police to hold suspects for up to 14 days before they are charged.

Trump has suggested the group was under surveillance. UK officials have been more circumspect, but residents near the base reported tighter security the day before the arrests.

US Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens praised both countries for their collaboration, saying they’re working together to “keep our citizens safe, at home and abroad.”

A phone call and a farmer

Earlier on Wednesday, British media reported that one of the suspects in the alleged plot called the police shortly before they were arrested, deepening the mystery.

The Times and BBC both reported that the call from the suspect to 999, the emergency number used in Britain, came almost an hour before a female farmer alerted authorities after seeing a group of masked men and three white vans.

The Times reported police were already on the scene when that later call from the local resident came in. The paper added police were investigating whether the suspect got cold feet or whether making such a call was part of the plan.

In their latest public statements, British police have indicated there may have been more than one trigger that sparked them into action.

“A police response was activated in the early hours of Sunday morning due to a range of information received, including a call from a member of the public about several vehicles acting suspiciously close to RAF Fairford,” Laurence Taylor, a senior counter-terrorism police officer, told reporters.

Taylor said “no improvised explosive devices were found” in vehicles used by the men, but that “a quantity of petrol was recovered.”

The investigation remains ongoing, Burnham said.