Counter-terrorism police have released on bail the 25-year-old dual British-Iranian national accused of being the mastermind behind an alleged plot to attack RAF Fairford, just hours after he appeared in court in London.
The man was brought before Westminster Magistrates Court on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Investigators allege he recruited five proxies and promised to pay them to strike at the US-operated air base in Gloucestershire in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Arrest and the Fairford Five
The suspect was detained in central London during what police described as a dynamic fast-time operation. Officers also searched two addresses in the borough of Westminster.
His arrest followed the detention of five British nationals in their 20s — dubbed the Fairford Five — who were found near the base with vans carrying large plastic barrels of fuel that were initially feared to contain chemical explosives. All five were released on bail after just 26 hours in custody.
Exclusive footage shared with the press showed one of the white vans heading toward RAF Fairford at around 11:15pm on Saturday. The men, described as dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, were arrested by armed officers near the village of Whelford after being spotted by a local farmer.
A plot that may have been a “stunt”
The investigation is taking an unexpected turn. Officers now believe the alleged plot may have been a “stunt” designed to cause havoc and disruption at the base rather than a conventional terrorist attack. Laurence Taylor, the head of UK Counter-Terrorism Policing, suggested it “may be activity committed by proxies, or individuals either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state,” adding that it often involves small-scale criminal activity by people whose main motive is “quick financial gain.”
Police have so far been unable to prove that the five arrested men knew — or should have known — they were acting on anyone’s instructions. The suspected recruiter was traced through surveillance of the group’s electronic devices.
The case has already sparked international political reactions. President Donald Trump publicly questioned why the men had been bailed after earlier hailing their arrests with the words “We got them.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed his country had warned Britain about an “Iranian-sponsored attack,” while senior police sources have said there remains a strong indication of an Iranian link — though Vicki Evans, the national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing, stressed the inquiry is “hugely complex” and all angles, including foreign state involvement, are being examined.
The bail decision is the latest twist in a case that continues to unsettle both London and Washington.
Source: The Sun