Stories
UK PM Blames Iran for Suspected Plot to Target RAF Fairford Airbase
- •UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that a foiled plot to target the RAF Fairford airbase was almost certainly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard.
- •The suspected plot reportedly involved plans to launch a drone attack on the military base, which houses US military personnel and assets.
- •Iranian ambassador in London Ali Moussavi categorically rejected the accusations and called on the British government to present supporting evidence.
- •US President Donald Trump withdrew aircraft from the base last week following the threat linked to Iran.
- •Five British men and two other individuals, including a British-Iranian national, were arrested and later released on police bail during the investigation.
Key Questions Answered
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that security assessments indicate the foiled plot targeting the RAF Fairford airbase was almost certainly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard and coordinated within the country. British authorities also announced plans to introduce further sanctions and crack down on Iran's funding streams and criminal networks following the incident.
The US Air Force redeployed all its bombers from RAF Fairford back to their home stations in the United States following heightened security concerns and emerging intelligence about a potential threat targeting the British military facility. The security alert came in the wake of arrests made near the base after a suspected terror plot.
The security operation began in the early hours of September 27 when a local farmer spotted three suspicious white vans and a group of masked men running into a field near the airbase and called emergency services. Armed police arrived and subsequently arrested five men on suspicion of terrorism-related and explosives offences.
