UK police release five men on bail after airbase incident

Armed police officers work on a road outside the perimeter of the RAF Fairford airbase, after police declared a major incident at the base, in Fairford, Gloucestershire, Britain, on Sept 28.

FAIRFORD, United Kingdom - British police said on Sept 28 five men arrested near an airbase used by the US were released on bail, as officers probed whether a “foreign state” could be involved in a suspected bomb plot.

US President Donald Trump, speaking in Washington, said he was “surprised that they released them”, adding that “I wouldn’t have done that”.

The release of the five – all London-based Britons in their mid-20s – came as British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced an emergency meeting of top officials to ensure they have “the full picture”.

Earlier, Iran had denied involvement in any plot to target the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford base in Gloucestershire, southwest England, following the security scare there early on Sept 27.

UK counter-terror police are leading the investigation after authorities received reports on Sept 27 of three “suspicious” white vans near the airbase, which has been used by the US to bomb Iran.

Police said in their latest update on Sept 28 that the five men held, who all live in inner London boroughs, were being released on bail.

“This does not mean the investigation is over,” Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said, adding the five would be subject to “stringent” bail conditions.

He said officers were “considering this from every possible angle, including that this may be activity committed by proxies, or individuals either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state”.

The men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and “preparation of a terrorist act” under UK anti-terrorism laws, according to police.

They had been travelling in the three suspect vehicles, which have since been subject to “extensive examination, with the support of military assets and forensic experts”.

Amid huge questions about what happened, authorities have not confirmed any details of the threat, but bomb-disposal experts were seen at work at the scene.

The Daily Mail and Press Association both reported late on Sept 28 they understood from sources that tests on materials in the back of the vans established they were “not viable explosives”.

A farmer living in the village of Whelford near the airbase said she rang the police after seeing the vans blocking a road and a group of masked men.

The anonymous woman told media on Sept 28 that she believed the police had “dropped the ball” on the threat.

But UK defence minister Wes Streeting said she only had a “partial picture”.

Trump on Sept 27 said the UK and US had the suspects “under investigation” for a while and alleged “they were looking to do big damage to our fort”.

On Sept 28, after hearing news of their bail, Trump said the case “might be” linked to Iran but declined to elaborate.

Pressed to give details, Trump said: “I’d rather not. I mean I know the answer, I could be very specific, but I’d rather not say. I would not have released them.”

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said that the five would be subject to “stringent” bail conditions.

Iran’s embassy in London said on X that it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” speculation that Tehran was involved.

It criticised “the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran” to the incident.

In March, Britain gave the US permission to use Fairford for “specific defensive operations into Iran” to destroy Iranian missiles at source.

Since then, US bombers and other planes have been seen taking off and landing from the base – the only one on Britain’s mainland used for this purpose.

Residents in the rural Cotswolds area surrounding Fairford said the site, which hosts a range of US military equipment and personnel, had seen increased activity and security in recent months.

Around 85 households were evacuated from the village early on Sept 27, and had to stay elsewhere overnight, but were allowed back to their homes late on Sept 28.

Tehran has previously warned London against allowing its bases to be used by the US in operations against Iran.

In March, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused London of “putting British lives in danger” by allowing the bases to be used “for aggression against Iran”. AFP