UK police detain seventh suspect over alleged plot at Royal Air Force Fairford base
In short
British counter-terrorism police have detained a seventh suspect in connection with an alleged attack plot near the Royal Air Force base at Fairford, according to Russian state agencies and Interfax. Interfax, citing Sky News, said the latest person held is a 22-year-old British citizen arrested in Westminster on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Six men detained earlier, five of them on 27 September, were released on bail, and an inspection of three suspicious vans found near the base turned up no traces of explosives.
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British counter-terrorism police have made a further arrest in connection with the alleged attack plot near the Royal Air Force base at Fairford, according to Russian state agencies and Interfax. TASS and RIA Novosti reported that a seventh suspect had been detained, with TASS noting that six people held earlier in the case had been released on bail. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Interfax, citing Sky News, said the latest person held is a 22-year-old British citizen detained in Westminster on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Six men aged between 20 and 30 had been detained earlier, five of them on 27 September and one on 1 October, and were released on bail with an obligation to appear before police, the report said. [ 3 ]
According to Interfax, the earlier arrests followed the discovery of three suspicious vans parked close to the base in Gloucestershire on 27 September; an inspection found no traces of explosive substances. The report quoted Vicky Evans, senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism, as saying: “The investigation continues, and our specialist teams continue to work through various versions of the circumstances of the events that took place near the Royal Air Force base at Fairford.” [ 3 ]
The United States withdrew its B-1B Lancer bombers from the base, Interfax reported. President Donald Trump told journalists the aircraft had been moved because of a threat: “They did not leave by chance. There was a threat. (...) Why should we leave them there? So we relocated them a little. Not very far.” [ 3 ]
Interfax further cited The Wall Street Journal, which reported, citing informed sources, that the US decision to relocate all its bombers followed information about a possible drone attack organised by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Interfax report also referred to the outlet Axios citing US officials, but that passage was cut off. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The arrest extends a UK counter-terrorism investigation that has already been linked in the documents to the withdrawal of US bombers from the base and, according to Interfax's account of US reporting, to a reported Iranian drone threat. The documents indicate the inquiry is continuing and several central facts — the target of the alleged plot, the role of those detained and how they may be connected — remain unsettled.
Key facts
- A seventh suspect was detained in Britain in connection with the alleged plot near the Royal Air Force base at Fairford, Russian agencies reported. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Interfax, citing Sky News, said the latest person held is a 22-year-old British citizen detained in Westminster on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. [ 3 ]
- Six men aged between 20 and 30 had been detained earlier — five on 27 September and one on 1 October — and were released on bail pending further investigation. [ 3 ]
- Three suspicious vans were found parked close to the base in Gloucestershire on 27 September, and their inspection found no traces of explosive substances. [ 3 ]
- US B-1B Lancer bombers were withdrawn from the base; President Donald Trump told reporters there had been a threat. [ 3 ]
- The Wall Street Journal, cited by Interfax, reported the US decision followed information about a possible drone attack organised by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the 22-year-old detained in Westminster has been charged or formally linked to the vans found near the base. The documents do not state this; the detail comes from a single account, Interfax citing Sky News.
- What the alleged plot's target and method were. No document describes a target, and the inspection of the three vans found no traces of explosives.
- Whether the reported plan for a drone attack by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps is confirmed. It is attributed to The Wall Street Journal citing informed sources, as relayed by Interfax; the passage citing Axios and US officials is cut off.
- The specific nature of the threat Trump referred to. In the quoted remarks he said there had been a threat but did not identify it.
- UK counter-terrorism coordinator Vicky Evans said the investigation was continuing and specialist teams were working through versions of the events near the base, according to Interfax. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports a seventh suspect detained in Britain over the alleged preparation of a terrorist attack at the Fairford base, and that six earlier detainees were released on bail. [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti reports the detention of the seventh suspect. [ 2 ]
- Interfax, citing Sky News, reports the arrest of a 22-year-old British citizen in Westminster on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, and recounts the earlier arrests and the inspection of three vans near the base. [ 3 ]