Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will chair a Cobra meeting following the alleged terror plot at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The announcement came after Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed that all five men arrested in connection with the incident had been released on police bail.
Five men released on bail
The men, all British nationals from London, were initially detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, with a custody extension granted until later on Monday. However, shortly before 4pm, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, confirmed their release.
Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Taylor said: "I can confirm that following extensive interviews and inquiries the five men who were arrested are being released on police bail this afternoon. To be very clear, this does not mean that the investigation is over. They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others. They absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of inquiry."
Burnham thanks police and public
Speaking to LBC at the Labour party conference in Liverpool, Burnham said he wanted to obtain the "full picture" of what had unfolded at the base, which is jointly used by British and US air forces. He thanked the police, security services, emergency services and the public who alerted authorities.
Burnham said: "I want to thank the police, the Gloucestershire Police, the security services, the emergency services, the public who alerted us, so thank you to everybody for the way that they've worked. What I can say is that I will chair a meeting of Cobra later this afternoon just to make sure we have the full picture, the full situation very clearly in our sights and so maybe we'll say more about that later today."
Investigation continues
Three of the suspects, aged 24, hail from Camden, Westminster and Willesden respectively, while the remaining two, aged 23 and 25, are both from Westminster. Amid rumours of Iranian involvement, a spokesman said: "At this time, we are working to establish the full circumstances of the activity of those arrested, their knowledge and any motivation behind this incident."
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, from Counter Terrorism Policing, commented: "This is a hugely complex and large-scale operation, involving local and national policing, the MoD, and local agencies, who are working together to progress the investigation and support for the community. I know this has been incredibly disruptive for local people, but I'd like to reassure them that our activity is in the interest of national security, but most importantly in the interest of their own safety."
She added: "I am very aware of the levels of speculation about the motivation behind this incident, and the geopolitical questions that are being raised. However, I ask that at this time, Counter Terrorism Policing are given the space to work carefully and clearly."
