British counter-terrorism police have arrested a 27-year-old dual UK-Iranian national as part of an investigation into a suspected plot involving RAF Fairford, an airbase used by U.S. forces for operations against Iran.
The man was arrested in London on Thursday on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, police said. A second man, a 26-year-old British national, was questioned under caution, while officers searched two properties in the capital.
The development follows the arrest of five British men in their 20s near RAF Fairford in western England on Sunday on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offences.
The five were subsequently released without charge on police bail and remain subject to strict conditions while the investigation continues.
Counter-terrorism officers are examining several possible explanations for the incident, including whether a foreign state may have been involved. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday that there were indications of a possible Iranian connection.
Iran has rejected accusations of involvement as baseless and on Thursday summoned the British ambassador in Tehran over the issue.
Vicki Evans, Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, described the investigation as highly complex.
“The investigation into circumstances surrounding events in Gloucestershire is hugely complex, and our specialist teams are interrogating multiple lines of enquiry,” Evans said in a statement.
“As we’ve made clear, we’re looking at all possible angles – including possible foreign state involvement.”
Police mounted a major operation in the early hours of Sunday after receiving what they described as a range of information. This included an alert from a local farmer who became suspicious after seeing the men near the airbase with three vans.
The Times reported that one of the men also contacted emergency services shortly before the arrests.
Detectives later confirmed that petrol had been discovered in the vans linked to the group, but said no improvised explosive device was found.
The investigation has drawn international attention because of RAF Fairford's role in recent U.S. military operations against Iran. U.S. bombers have used the Gloucestershire base to launch missions against Iranian targets in recent months.
Burnham said Britain was working closely with the U.S. over the investigation.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised the decision to release the five original suspects on bail, although British police have stressed that they remain under investigation and are subject to stringent conditions.
Trump previously said the men had intended to cause “big damage”, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the incident bore the “hands of a foreign actor”.
British police have not publicly attributed responsibility for the incident, and their investigation into the circumstances and any possible foreign-state involvement remains ongoing.
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