British police rearrest two men over suspected Iran-linked plot at US airbase
British police said they have rearrested two men on suspicion of assisting Iran’s intelligence service over a suspected plot at a U.S.-run air base in England last month, reports BritPanorama.
Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed that the men, a 24-year-old British national and a 25-year-old dual UK-Iranian national, were arrested under the National Security Act.
One suspect was initially arrested on September 27, when the suspected plot against the U.S.-run base at RAF Fairford occurred. The air base in western England has been used to bomb Iran during this year’s ongoing conflict.
The second suspect was arrested on October 1. Until Tuesday, both men had been released on bail pending further investigation.
Scores of residents were evacuated from their homes near the base as armed police officers and army bomb-disposal experts responded to the incident. Authorities later reported finding a quantity of gasoline in three vans at the site, but no explosives were discovered.
British authorities have linked Tehran to the incident, prompting the U.S. to withdraw its bombers from RAF Fairford. Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggested the apparent plot was “almost certainly” directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).
While Iran has denied involvement, it has previously stated that any base used to attack its territory would be considered a legitimate target.
Earlier, five other men in their 20s were arrested in connection with the case but were subsequently released on bail pending further inquiries. No charges have been filed to date.
Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing in the U.K., highlighted that detectives are exploring numerous avenues in this “hugely complex investigation.”
“This is very much a live investigation, and our evidence gathering continues, but at this time our position remains the same; we consider it highly likely that there is Iranian state involvement,” he stated.
Taylor further noted that investigators are examining the level of Iran’s involvement and the ambitions behind it.
Last week, MI5 chief Ken McCallum expressed concerns that both Iran and Russia are ramping up their attacks against the U.K., suggesting that the RAF base incident was part of a broader pattern.
McCallum indicated that Tehran is seeking to intensify its operations in Britain, expanding beyond traditional targets of Iranians opposed to the nation’s Islamic authorities.
In total, more than 50 individuals have been arrested over Iran-linked plots in the past year, underscoring the ongoing security challenges faced by authorities.
