MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

British-Iranian man arrested over the RAF Fairford incident

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were “strong indications” that Iran “played a part” in what happened, though he said he could not give details and that the investigation was ongoing

British counter-terrorism police on Thursday arrested a 25-year-old man with dual British and Iranian nationality in London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, in connection with Sunday's incident near RAF Fairford, an airbase in western England used by the United States Air Force.

The arrest took place in Westminster, where two properties were searched. Police had initially said the detained man was 27 and that a second man had been questioned, but corrected both points in a later update. The five men arrested near the base on Sunday — British nationals aged 23 to 25 who live in London — remain on police bail. None has been charged.

The five were detained in the early hours after reports of three suspicious vehicles heading towards the base, first on suspicion of explosives offences and later on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Petrol, but no explosive devices, was found in vans near the site. According to the BBC, one of them had himself dialled the emergency number an hour before a local resident reported a group of masked men.

“The investigation is hugely complex,” said Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing, adding that “all possible angles, including foreign state involvement” are being examined.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday there were “strong indications” that Iran “played a part” in what happened, though he said he could not give details and that the investigation was ongoing. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi replied that Burnham was “barking up the wrong tree”, and Tehran denied any involvement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken on Monday of “the hands of a foreign actor”, without providing evidence. Washington criticised the release on bail; Burnham defended it, citing the strict conditions imposed.

RAF Fairford has been used by the US Air Force for decades. In recent months, bombers have taken off from there for the Middle East after the British government approved its use for what it called defensive strikes on Iran.