Five men arrested over a suspected terror plot to bomb an RAF base were freed on bail yesterday (September 28), just 24 hours after a major counter-terror operation to detain them. The men, Britons in their 20s from London, were held on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism.
Armed police acting on a farmer's tip-off that "something very odd is going on" arrested the men near RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, on Sunday. They were bailed amid reports that tests on materials found in three vans seized near the base showed they were "not viable explosives".
Counter-terror officers stressed the suspects had been bailed under strict conditions and remained under investigation. The case has sparked international interest, with many questions still unanswered.
Was there a foreign actor involved?
The airbase was used by the US Air Force to bomb Iran, sparking fears it may have been targeted by Iranian proxies. Reports suggested there were clear signs of increased security at the base last week.
Both Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have hinted the incident involved a foreign actor. Rubio said on Fox News: "It's one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor." Counter-terror police said they were exploring "every possible angle", including whether the suspects may have been working on behalf of a foreign state. Nothing has been confirmed, and Tehran has strongly denied any involvement.
Former MI6 agent Christopher Steele told Sky News: "State-backed organisations and operatives are using criminals that they're recruiting online inside our country to carry out some of these grey-zone kinetic attacks. And so it's quite difficult sometimes to differentiate between a state-backed action and a purely criminal action."
Why were the suspects bailed?
The release of all five suspects after just 24 hours of questioning raised eyebrows worldwide. President Trump said on Monday: "I will tell you, I would have said 'Don't let them have bail'. I'm surprised that they released them. I wouldn't have done that."
The men were arrested after a farmer spotted a group running around in masks and balaclavas in the middle of the night on Saturday. Media law expert David Banks said on Twitter: "I would make the point that in terror investigations the police can hold people for up to 14 days without charge. So if people are bailed within a couple of days have a think about what that tells you about their direction of travel of their inquiry."
Were the suspects on a watch list?
Trump appeared to suggest there had been a secret joint surveillance operation carried out by the US and the UK. He said on Sunday: "Working with Britain - it was an amazing job… we had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort… and working with the British worked out great. It may have been Scotland Yard. I don't know, we worked with a lot of them. We had them under view for a long time and we got 'em."
Sky News reported that a well-placed source suggested Trump is 'broadly accurate'. Other sources have also suggested the Iran link is accurate, according to US correspondent Mark Stone.
Did they have explosives or were they on the rob?
One theory is that the five may have "knowingly or unknowingly" been working as proxies for Iran. Asked if the rogue state was involved, Trump said: "They might be." Pushed for more details, he said he would "rather not say".
However, reports claim no explosives were found in the vans. Several outlets have reported claims from military sources that the arrested men may have been thieves syphoning fuel. It has also been alleged that barrels to store stolen liquids and other equipment were found in the three vans, which were reportedly found close to a diesel supply. It is unclear whether Gloucestershire Police or counter-terrorism police will issue an update today, but security remains high around the military base.
