Iranian National Arrested in UK Over Bomber Base Incident

A man holding Iranian and British citizenship was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of involvement in an attempt to attack Fairford Air Base, from which American bombers launched strikes in Iran. The arrest was announced by the UK's Counter-Terrorism Unit. Earlier this week, five British men residing in London, who were arrested near the base on Sunday morning, were released on bail. The 27-year-old suspect was arrested in London on suspicion of planning a terrorist act, according to The Telegraph. British police are also questioning a 26-year-old British citizen in connection with the case.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated in a BBC interview on Wednesday that there were "strong indications that Iran was involved" in the events near the base, marking the first explicit connection made by the British government to Tehran. The incident began early Sunday when police responded to a report of three suspicious vehicles heading towards the base. Armed officers apprehended five men near the village of Fairford, initially on suspicion of explosives offenses and later for planning a terrorist act. On Tuesday, Counter-Terrorism Unit head Lawrence Taylor confirmed that while no explosives were found in the vans, a quantity of fuel was discovered.

Initial reports suggested a local farmer alerted the police after encountering hooded and masked men. However, the BBC later reported that one of the suspects himself called the police nearly an hour before the farmer's call, though the reason remains unclear. The release of the suspects on bail drew criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed surprise and stated he would not have granted bail. Burnham responded that the bail conditions were extremely strict.

The Iranian Embassy in London dismissed attempts to link Tehran to the incident as "baseless and malicious speculation." The Revolutionary Guards had previously warned London that any base used for attacks against Iran would be considered a legitimate target. Iran has a history of employing local criminals in the UK for arson and violent acts, often receiving instructions via encrypted apps. In May of the previous year, five men, including four Iranians, were arrested on suspicion of planning an attack on the Israeli Embassy in London. This spring also saw a wave of attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets across Europe, with many young criminals recruited similarly.