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A 27-year-old man with dual UK and Iranian citizenship was arrested in Westminster, central London, on Thursday, October 1, on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, Counter Terror Policing said. The arrest is the latest step in the investigation into the incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
Police arrested the man under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Officers also questioned a 26-year-old UK national under caution and searched two properties in the Westminster area. Al Jazeera reported the same details. The police update does not name either man.
The new arrest follows the detention of five British men in their 20s near the base early on Sunday, September 27, as we reported earlier this week. All five were released on bail the next day and remain on bail. Searches of three vehicles linked to them found fuel and a number of large, mostly empty plastic drums. Officers did not find any explosives.
Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing, described the inquiry as hugely complex. She said investigators are looking at all possible angles, including possible foreign state involvement. Counter Terror Policing has also said that individuals can sometimes act for foreign states knowingly or unknowingly.
On Wednesday, September 30, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were strong indications that Iran played a part, as we covered yesterday. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has denied any involvement, according to Al Jazeera.
In Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that the incident clearly involved a foreign actor, without giving further detail. He and President Donald Trump both criticized the decision to release the five men on bail so soon, according to CBS News reporting in our earlier post. Some local reports had pointed to possible fuel theft, but authorities have not confirmed that.
RAF Fairford is a British-owned airbase roughly 100 miles west of London. American bombers have flown from it during the Iran conflict. Police have not announced any charges, and the inquiry is continuing. Counter Terror Policing has asked anyone with information to contact gov.uk/ACT or call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.
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