A British-Iranian dual national has been arrested in London on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism in connection with an alleged plot targeting the RAF Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire, which is used by the United States military.
The 27-year-old man was taken into custody in Westminster on Thursday. A second individual, a 26-year-old British national, was questioned under caution by counterterrorism officers, while two residential properties linked to the suspects were searched.
Senior National Coordinator for Counterterrorism Policing Vicki Evans emphasized the complexity of the ongoing investigation.
“The investigation into circumstances surrounding events in Gloucestershire is hugely complex, and our specialist teams are interrogating multiple lines of enquiry,” Evans said. “As we’ve made clear, we’re looking at all possible angles – including possible foreign state involvement.”
The latest arrests follow a major security incident early Sunday near the airbase in western England, where US B-1 bombers have operated missions.
Five other British men, aged 23 to 25, were initially arrested near the perimeter on suspicion of explosive offenses and later terrorism-related charges, before being released on strict police bail.
Counterterrorism officials confirmed that no explosive devices were recovered from the three vans at the scene, though quantities of petrol were recovered.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated on Wednesday that there are “strong indications” pointing toward Iranian involvement in the incident, aligning with assessments from Washington.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that the plot “clearly involved the hands of a foreign actor,” while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that intelligence regarding an Iranian-backed attack had been shared with British authorities.
Tehran has strongly rejected the accusations. During a summons of the British ambassador in Tehran, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi urged London to revise its approach, echoing Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s remarks that British officials were “barking up the wrong tree.”
Investigative details have also emerged regarding the initial police response.
British media reported that one of the suspects placed an emergency 999 call nearly an hour before a local farmer alerted authorities to suspicious vehicles and masked individuals near the perimeter, prompting counterterrorism investigators to examine whether the call was part of the plot or a result of cold feet.
