Andy Burnham says there's a 'strong indication' Iran involved in suspected RAF Fairford terror plot
Earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a television interview that the suspected plot “clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor”
Andy Burnham has said there are “strong indications” Iran was involved in a suspected terror plot at RAF Fairford.
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Five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism near the military base over the weekend before being bailed under investigation on Monday.
Asked about the case on Wednesday, Mr Burnham, who chaired an emergency Cobra meeting during Labour Party conference earlier this week, said: “There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation.”
Asked about the US president’s disappointment over the release of the suspects, he said: “The authorities have this under, as I say, the strongest grip and the closest control, and I can assure you of that.”
The Gloucestershire site has been used in recent months by American bombers after Sir Keir Starmer granted the US permission to use British bases for “defensive” strikes against Tehran during the Middle East war.
Read more: Andy Burnham to chair emergency Cobra meeting 'later this afternoon' following RAF Fairford arrests
Earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a television interview that the suspected plot “clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor”, but refused to provide further details.
Speculation over whether Iran had any involvement in the drama, including by tasking proxies to carry out crimes on their behalf on UK soil, remains rife.
Potential involvement by Iran was understood to be one line of inquiry for British investigators, and the nation has used proxies in the past to carry out acts in the UK.
But its London embassy fiercely denied any involvement in the events in Gloucestershire.
It comes after it was revealed that on e of the five men arrested at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, rang 999 on himself in the early hours of Sunday morning, it is understood.
Armed police racing to the scene to round up the five suspects, who were arrested on suspicion of explosives and terrorist offences near the base.
An hour later, a local farmer dialled 999 after discovering three vans blocking a road near RAF Fairford.
However, it has now emerged that the authorities were already on the scene by then because the suspect had dialled 999 an hour earlier, the Times reported.
Counter-terror police have said a quantity of petrol but no explosive devices were found in the vans that sparked the security alert near the airbase.
Head of UK counter-terrorism policing assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor said on Tuesday that a police response was activated in the early hours of Sunday “due to a range of information that we received”.
Mr Taylor said the five suspects released on bail “remain under investigation” and “must adhere to very strict conditions”.
Villagers living near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, dozens of whom were dramatically evacuated from their homes on Sunday morning, were slowly returning to normal on Tuesday.
Police cordons near the base are expected to be completely lifted on Wednesday, and searches of the London homes of the five suspects are complete.
Speaking to Fox News, Mr Rubio said: “It’s one that clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor. I won’t get into great detail about that yet.
“I do want to thank the authorities in the United Kingdom who have been very co-operative and on top of it.”
He added: “I know a lot of people are disturbed by the news that some of these people have been released on bail, as some of the people are being investigated, and obviously we’re engaging with them on all of that.“Beyond that, I would argue that they’ve been very co-operative and very helpful on something that’s a very serious incident.
”Mr Trump said on Monday that the alleged plot “might be” linked to Iran, and added: “I will tell you, I would have said ‘Don’t let them have bail’. I’m surprised that they released them. I wouldn’t have done that.”
The five suspects, all UK nationals, are a 24-year-old from Camden, north London; and a 23-year-old, two 24-year-olds and a 25-year-old from Westminster, central London.