UK police arrest British national linked to airbase incident

British police have arrested a 22-year old British national on suspicion of a terror offence linked to the security incident near a UK airbase hosting US warplanes on September 27.

Counter Terrorism Police say the individual is connected with “activity that took place close to RAF Fairford.”

In a statement, police said the arrest had been made “on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts”.

Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counterterrorism policing said detectives, “continue to pursue multiple lines of enquiry” and “remain committed to investigating all possible angles.”

Unexplained incident

It is the seventh arrest connected to the incident, which remains largely unexplained, over the past two weeks. Six people arrested on suspicion of terrorism over an alleged plot against the base have all been released on bail.

The US moved its B-52 and B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford on Sunday, though it’s unclear whether the move is connected to the arrests.

On Monday, US President Trump said his administration withdrew B-1 bombers from the site because of what he described as “some threats”.

“We had a threat, and if we’re going to be threatened, we would just move them, and that sort of alleviates that,” he told reporters, adding the people who made the threat “would be linked to Iran,” without elaborating.

 

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK sees, “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the incident, without providing details.

Iran has denied involvement, but it has previously said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.