Two men have been re-arrested in connection with the suspicious vehicle incident at RAF Fairford, with police now explicitly linking the case to Iranian intelligence.
The arrests mark a sharp escalation in the counter-terrorism probe that began last month. It signals that investigators believe the initial security breach was not an isolated act of vandalism, but a coordinated operation involving state actors.
Iranian Links Confirmed
A 24-year-old UK national and a 25-year-old dual UK-Iranian national are currently in custody. They face charges under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023 for assisting a foreign intelligence service. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, stated plainly that the evidence points to “highly likely” Iranian state involvement. “Our investigators are continuing to examine what that level of involvement was and the ambition behind it,” Taylor told reporters. The 24-year-old was first detained near the base on September 27, while the 25-year-old was picked up in Westminster on October 1.
Live Investigation Continues
The original incident occurred in the early hours of September 27, when police were alerted to three vans approaching the US airbase in Gloucestershire. A major incident was declared, forcing the evacuation of dozens of homes. Five men were found with petrol in the vehicles and initially charged under the Explosives Act. While those five remain on bail, the focus has shifted to the two now facing intelligence charges. Taylor emphasized that the investigation is “hugely complex” and that specialist teams are working tirelessly through multiple lines of enquiry. No further arrests are expected immediately, but the legal proceedings for the two men will likely determine the scale of the threat perceived by UK security services.
Source: BBC UK
This article was compiled by the IndiaBBCNews editorial system from verified international news sources. Facts have been independently reviewed. Original reporting: BBC UK.
