UK police rearrest duo suspected of helping Iranian intel over RAF Fairford incident

Two men were arrested on suspicion of aiding Iranian intelligence at RAF Fairford, a second set of charges following an alleged plot at the airbase last month. Counter-Terrorism Policing revealed that the suspects would face a new charge under the National Security Act. The United States had previously withdrawn its B-1 bombers from Fairford after the arrest of five British individuals outside the military base in southwest England. Two additional arrests were made, but all seven were released on bail.

The investigation remains ongoing, according to Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK. He stated that authorities strongly believe in Iranian state involvement in the matter. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham had earlier suggested that the activity at Fairford was likely coordinated in Iran. Iran has condemned the allegations, rejecting them outright.

Assistant Commissioner Taylor emphasized the importance of transparency, stating that the public will be informed as more information becomes available. US officials expressed confidence that the return of the bombers to the UK would not disrupt operations, noting that the United States' only European partner for such missions is the sole country permitting the deployment of these aircraft.

Jonathan Hackett, a former US Marines interrogator, commented on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' perception of the UK as a vulnerable target for sabotage, given the nation's role in accommodating American strategic bombers.