A 22-year-old man was detained in London on suspicion of terrorist activities but has been released on bail, according to British counterterrorism authorities. He is the seventh individual linked to a security concern involving Iran at RAF Fairford, which American forces have used to launch strikes on Iran amid ongoing conflict.
The man, a British national, was suspected of preparing terrorist acts under the Terrorism Act 2006’s Section 5. His release comes with strict conditions, police confirmed. All seven men, arrested in their twenties, remain on police bail as specialist teams continue to investigate. Authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward.
“We would not have released them,” President Trump commented, critiquing the decision to bail the first six men. He suggested Iran might be involved, noting close cooperation between U.S. and British authorities on the issue.
Security measures near RAF Fairford have been heightened with concrete barriers installed at the base’s main entrance. Scores of residents near RAF Fairford, located roughly 100 miles west of London, were evacuated on September 27. Armed police and military bomb-disposal teams were deployed to the area. The police discovered gasoline in three vans connected to the first five suspects but found no explosives.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham hinted at a possible Iranian link to the incident, though details of the suspected plot were not provided. Iran denied any involvement but asserted that it considers bases involved in attacks on its territory as legitimate targets. American bombers have previously utilized Fairford for strikes against Iran. On Sunday, the U.S. relocated its B-52 and B-1 bombers from the base. It remains unclear if this relocation is related to the detentions.
President Trump, addressing reporters, mentioned a threat related to the presence of bombers at the base, which prompted the relocation to mitigate risk. He implicated that Iran might be linked to the threat but did not elaborate.