UK Police Bail Five Men Arrested Near US Airbase as Trump Criticises Release
Five London-based men arrested near RAF Fairford have been released on bail as UK counter-terrorism police continue investigating a suspected bomb plot.
British counter-terrorism police have released on bail five men arrested near a US-used airbase in Gloucestershire, even as Washington alleged that a foreign actor was behind a suspected bomb plot and President Donald Trump criticised the decision.
The five men, all London-based Britons in their mid-20s, were detained on suspicion of explosives offences and preparation of a terrorist act under UK anti-terrorism laws. They had been travelling in three white vans reported as suspicious near RAF Fairford early on Sunday.
Announcing the release, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who heads Counter Terrorism Policing, said the move did not signal the end of the investigation. The men would face stringent bail conditions, he said, adding that officers were examining every possibility, including that the activity may have involved proxies or individuals working knowingly or unknowingly for a foreign state.
The vehicles have undergone extensive examination with support from military assets and forensic experts. Authorities have not confirmed the nature of the threat, though bomb-disposal specialists were seen at the scene. Media reports citing sources said tests on materials found in the vans indicated they were not viable explosives.
Trump, speaking in Washington, said he was surprised by the release and that he would not have done the same. He had earlier said Britain and the United States had been investigating the suspects for some time and alleged they intended to cause significant damage to the base. On Monday he said the case might be linked to Iran but declined to elaborate. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the incident clearly involved the hands of a foreign actor, without giving details.
Iran's embassy in London rejected any involvement, describing the speculation as unfounded and malicious. Tehran had earlier denied any plot targeting the base. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has previously accused London of endangering British lives by allowing its bases to be used for operations against Iran.
Britain granted the United States permission in March to use Fairford for specific defensive operations into Iran. The base, which hosts US military equipment and personnel, has seen increased activity and security in recent months, according to residents of the surrounding Cotswolds area.
About 85 households were evacuated from the nearby village of Whelford early on Sunday and allowed to return the following day. A local farmer said she called police after seeing the vans blocking a road and a group of masked men, and believed officers had dropped the ball. Defence Minister Wes Streeting said she had only a partial picture of the situation.