British Police Arrest Five Men on Suspicion of Preparing Terrorist Attack Outside U.S. Air Force Base in England
Key Takeaways
- •Five men were arrested on Sunday near RAF Fairford on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act and explosives offenses, with counterterrorism officers leading the investigation and three suspicious vehicles being searched.
- •RAF Fairford, located about 100 miles west of London, hosts the U.S. Air Force's 501st Combat Support Wing and has supported operations in the Gulf War, the 2003 Iraq war, and this year's U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
- •Britain did not join the war on Iran and initially refused a U.S. request to use British bases for strikes, but later permitted American use of U.K. bases for defensive operations against Iranian missiles.
- •It remains unclear whether the arrests are connected to the Iran, although British security officials have linked Iran-backed proxies to arson and sabotage attempts in the U.K., many targeting the Jewish community.
- •RAF Lakenheath, another U.S. base in eastern England, confirmed it is at Charlie alert, the second-highest threat level issued by the U.S. Department of Defense, while no threat level was confirmed for Fairford.
British police arrested five men on Sunday on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism and explosives offenses outside RAF Fairford, a military base in western England operated by the U.S. Air Force. Counterterrorism officers are leading the investigation, and three suspicious vehicles are being searched, according to the Associated Press.
Preparing acts of terrorism is an offense under the U.K.'s Terrorism Act 2000, which allows police to detain suspects without charge for up to 14 days while investigations continue.
A key U.S. staging base
RAF Fairford, located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of London, is one of several installations in Britain that have been used by the U.S. Air Force under an agreement dating from the 1950s. The base hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force's 501st Combat Support Wing and serves as a forward operating location for U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command.
Fairford's long runway makes it well suited to heavy bombers, and the airfield has been used in conflicts including the Gulf War, the 2003 Iraq war and this year's U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Britain's limited role in the Iran war
Britain did not join the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which began on Feb. 28, and initially denied a request from President Donald Trump to use bases in the U.K. to strike Iran. Days later, however, then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that he had agreed to allow the United States to use bases in Britain for “defensive” operations against Iran's missiles and their launch sites. The move followed Iranian attacks on U.K. interests and on Britain's allies in the Gulf.
American B-1 and B-52 bombers have taken off from Fairford for operations during the conflict. Anti-war campaigners have protested outside the base's perimeter fence several times since the start of the Iran war.
No confirmed link to Iran conflict
It remains unclear whether the arrests are linked to the Iran war. British security officials say proxies linked to Iran are behind a string of arson and sabotage attempts in the U.K. and other countries, many of them targeting the Jewish community. Those officials have previously warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the U.K. if conflicts in the Middle East continue.
Some local residents said security around RAF Fairford appeared to have been heightened in recent days, with heavy vehicles parked across the entrance gates.
Separately, RAF Lakenheath, another American base in eastern England, confirmed that it is on Charlie alert, the second-highest threat level that can be issued by the U.S. Department of Defense (the highest is Delta). According to U.S. military websites, Force Protection Condition Charlie “applies when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating some form of terrorist action targeting or facilities is likely.”
There was no immediate confirmation of the threat level in place at RAF Fairford. U.S. European Command said it would not discuss “specific force protection measures.”
This article originally appeared on Fortune.
