UK defence secretary praises public tip-off after arrests near US-used air base
Five men were arrested near RAF Fairford, a US-used air base in England, as the UK defence secretary praised the member of the public who raised the alarm.
Britain's defence secretary said he could not discuss what authorities knew before an attempted attack near a US-used air base in England, but thanked the member of the public whose alert brought the threat to police attention.
Speaking on Monday, Wes Streeting declined to confirm whether officials had already been aware of the danger before a concerned farmer contacted police. He said operational and security details prevented him from commenting further.
He singled out the woman for praise, saying she had done what anyone would hope for in such an extraordinary situation and that he was grateful to her. By her own account, he added, she had acted quickly and thoughtfully. He also cautioned, however, that she holds only a partial picture of events, and said he would go no further in his remarks.
Five men were arrested in the early hours of Sunday near RAF Fairford in western England. The base hosts the US Air Force's 501st Combat Support Wing and has been used for strikes on Iranian missile sites since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran on 28 February.
Whether the arrests are connected to the Iran war remains unclear. British security officials have warned that Iranian proxies have been responsible for a series of arson and sabotage attempts in the United Kingdom.