Overview
- Counterterrorism police arrested a 27-year-old dual British–Iranian man in Westminster on suspicion of involvement in an alleged plot to target RAF Fairford.
- Five other men were detained near Fairford earlier after officers found petrol in three vans but no explosive devices; those five were released on bail and remain under investigation.
- A separate 26-year-old British man was questioned and police searched the arrested 27-year-old’s London addresses as part of ongoing inquiries.
- Senior officials, including the national counterterrorism coordinator Vicki Evans and Prime Minister Andy Burnham, say investigators are examining all lines of inquiry, including possible foreign-state involvement.
- RAF Fairford is used by both the RAF and US aviation, including bombers previously used against Iran, a factor that raises diplomatic risk and could lead to further security and diplomatic responses.