Andy Burnham has said there are “strong indications” Iran played a part in a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford. The UK is working closely with the US and the authorities have the situation under “the strongest grip”, the Prime Minister insisted after Donald Trump criticised the decision to release the suspects.
Arrests and bail
Five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism near the military base over the weekend before being bailed under investigation on Monday. The Gloucestershire site has been used in recent months by American bombers after Sir Keir Starmer granted the US permission to use British bases for “defensive” strikes against Tehran during the Middle East war.
Counter-terror police have said a quantity of petrol but no explosive devices were found in the vans that sparked the security alert near the airbase.
Official statements
Asked about the case in a series of broadcast interviews on Wednesday, Mr Burnham said: “There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation.”
Asked about the US president’s disappointment over the release of the suspects, he told the BBC: “The authorities have this under, as I say, the strongest grip and the closest control, and I can assure you of that.” Speaking to Sky News, he said he “wouldn’t hesitate” to recall Parliament over the incident if necessary. He chaired an emergency Cobra meeting during Labour Party conference earlier this week.
Earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a television interview that the suspected plot “clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor”, but refused to provide further details.
Investigation details
Head of UK counter-terrorism policing assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor said on Tuesday that a police response was activated in the early hours of Sunday “due to a range of information that we received”. Mr Taylor said the five suspects released on bail “remain under investigation” and “must adhere to very strict conditions”.
Villagers living near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, dozens of whom were dramatically evacuated from their homes on Sunday morning, were slowly returning to normal on Tuesday. Police cordons near the base are expected to be completely lifted on Wednesday, and searches of the London homes of the five suspects are complete.
Mr Taylor said the incident has been worrying for lots of people, adding that this is “heightened by the international commentary that we are seeing”. Speculation over whether Iran had any involvement in the drama, including by tasking proxies to carry out crimes on their behalf on UK soil, remains rife.
Potential involvement by Iran was understood to be one line of inquiry for British investigators, and the nation has used proxies in the past to carry out acts in the UK. But its London embassy fiercely denied any involvement in the events in Gloucestershire.
Speaking to Fox News, Mr Rubio said: “It’s one that clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor. I won’t get into great detail about that yet. I do want to thank the authorities in the United Kingdom who have been very co-operative and on top of it.” He added: “I know a lot of people are disturbed by the news that some of these people have been released on bail, as some of the people are being investigated, and obviously we’re engaging with them on all of that. Beyond that, I would argue that they’ve been very co-operative and very helpful on something that’s a very serious incident.”
Mr Trump said on Monday that the alleged plot “might be” linked to Iran, and added: “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 five suspects, all UK nationals, are a 24-year-old from Camden, north London; and a 23-year-old, two 24-year-olds and a 25-year-old from Westminster, central London. Police would not confirm when they are due to answer bail.
