LONDON (AP) — The U.S. has withdrawn its bombers stationed at a U.S.-run military air base in England used to strike Iran, as police investigate whether a suspected terror plot at the base is linked to Iran.
Five men were detained shortly after midnight on Sept. 27 on suspected explosives and terrorism offenses after three suspicious vans were spotted traveling toward RAF Fairford. The U.K.-owned base has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East, including the ongoing Iran war.
A sixth suspect, a British-Iranian dual national, was arrested several days later. All the men have been released on bail. Police earlier said they did not find any explosives in the vans that sparked the security alert. The developments have led to confusion about what exactly happened at the air base.
British authorities have linked the incident to Tehran. Iran has denied involvement.
Here’s what we know — and don’t know — about the security incident.
6 suspects have been arrested and released on bail
Police said the first five suspects, detained near Fairford, are British nationals from London in their 20s.
It remains unclear why they were released on bail a day after their arrests. Laurence Taylor, the head of U.K. Counter Terrorism Policing, said they face stringent bail conditions and “absolutely remain under investigation.”
The decision drew criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he was surprised and “wouldn’t have” allowed the suspects to be freed.
A sixth suspect, a British-Iranian dual national, was arrested in central London last week on suspicion of plotting a terror attack. Police have not explained why he was also released on bail on Saturday.
Authorities say Iran is possibly involved
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the U.K. sees “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the incident.
But he did not provide details about what the suspects were planning, or why the U.K. thinks Iran was involved.
Taylor, the head of counterterrorism policing, said last week that lines of inquiry include looking into whether the suspected offenses were committed by “proxies or individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state.”
Iran and allied militant groups have been accused of plotting or carrying out attacks on U.S., British and Jewish targets in the past, allegedly acting through local proxies.
RAF Fairford houses the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and is a forward operating location for the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command. The base was used during the 1990 Gulf War, the 2003 Iraq war and the U.S.-Israeli bombardment of Iran this year.
