Counter-terror police arrest UK-Iranian dual national over RAF Fairford incident
Counter-terrorism police have arrested a 27-year-old UK-Iranian dual national in central London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts in connection with the security incident at RAF Fairford.
The man was detained in Westminster, the force said. A second man, a 26-year-old UK national, has been questioned under caution, and officers have searched two properties in the area.
The arrest marks a widening of an investigation that began early on Sunday, when police were alerted to three suspicious vehicles in Whelford, a village just east of the Gloucestershire airbase.
Five men in their twenties were arrested near the base. All five are UK nationals from London, aged between 23 and 25. Four live in Westminster and one in Camden, and searches were carried out at their homes.
They were initially held on suspicion of explosives offences and later on suspicion of terrorism offences. On Monday, they were released on police bail in what police described as an investigative decision grounded in experience and strategy.
Police said a quantity of petrol was found during searches of vans near the base, but no explosive devices were discovered.
RAF Fairford has for decades been used by the US Air Force as a forward operating location, giving the case potential significance beyond the immediate arrests. Counter-terrorism officials said they are considering all possible angles, including foreign state involvement.
“I’d like to thank the public for their continued support and patience while we work through this investigation,” said Vicki Evans, the force’s senior national coordinator.
The incident has already drawn attention to security at military sites in the UK, particularly those tied to US operations. The decision to release the first five suspects on bail, while continuing searches and questioning, suggests investigators are still gathering evidence and pursuing multiple lines of inquiry.
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