British counterterrorism police announced that a 22-year-old man arrested in London in connection with a security incident at RAF Fairford has been released on bail. The British national was detained Tuesday in central London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Authorities confirmed he was released under strict bail conditions, making him the seventh man in his 20s to be freed on bail during the ongoing investigation. Specialist teams are continuing to pursue all lines of inquiry and have appealed for anyone with information to come forward. The arrests follow a security incident linked by British authorities to Iran, stemming from the use of RAF Fairford by American bombers to strike Iran during the ongoing conflict. The decision to grant bail to the suspects has previously drawn criticism from President Trump, who stated that U.S. and British authorities worked closely on the matter and that the suspects would not have been released if the decision had been up to him. The investigation began early on September 27 when scores of residents were evacuated from their homes near RAF Fairford, located roughly 100 miles west of London. Armed police and army bomb disposal experts responded to the rural area, later discovering gasoline, an accelerant, in three vans linked to the initial suspects, though no explosives were found. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that the U.K. sees strong indications that Iran played a part in the incident, though the precise nature of the suspected plot has not been detailed. Iran has denied involvement while maintaining that any base used to attack its territory constitutes a legitimate target. Amid the security concerns, the U.S. military relocated its B-52 and B-1 bombers away from the base, with President Trump noting that the move was intended to remove potential threats and alleviate risks associated with the location.
Source: cbsnews.com
