UK police arrest seventh suspect in RAF Fairford probe

British counterterrorism police on Tuesday, Oct. 6, arrested a 22-year-old British man in London's Westminster borough on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. It is the seventh arrest in the investigation into a security incident near RAF Fairford, the U.S.-run air base in England that American bombers have used to strike Iran.cbsnews+1

The arrest adds to a case that has strained ties between London and Washington. British leaders have linked the incident to Iran, which denies any role. The U.S. has withdrawn its bombers from the base, and President Donald Trump has criticized the decision to release the earlier suspects on bail.centraloregondaily+1

A live investigation

Counter Terrorism Policing said the man was held under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, and that officers also searched a property in the same area. He remains in custody. No charges have been filed in the case so far, the BBC reported.counterterrorism+2

"This remains a live investigation and our specialist teams continue to pursue multiple lines of enquiry into the circumstances surrounding events near RAF Fairford," said Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counterterrorism policing. She added that police are "working around the clock, and at pace, to identify the motivation behind events in Gloucestershire".abcnews+1

The other six suspects remain on police bail. Five British men in their 20s were arrested early on Sept. 27, after police said they were seen running into fields from three white vans parked near the base. A sixth man, a 25-year-old who holds both British and Iranian citizenship, was arrested on Oct. 1. Dozens of nearby residents were evacuated while army bomb-disposal teams examined the vans. Police later said they found petrol but no explosives.bbc+4

Iran link and bomber withdrawal

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the U.K. sees "strong indications" that Iran played a part in the incident, but he has not given details. Iran denies involvement. It has previously said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.aljazeera+1

U.S. officials, speaking anonymously, told Reuters the suspected plot involved a possible complex Iranian drone attack. They said this concern led Washington to pull its B-1 bombers from Fairford. A Pentagon official confirmed on Sunday, Oct. 4, that all U.S. bombers based there had returned to their home stations. On Monday, Trump said: "We had a threat, and if we're going to be threatened, we would just move them." He added that the people behind it "would be linked to Iran".cbsnews+1

Fairford is one of the few European bases able to handle heavy bombers. During the war, which began at the end of February, Britain has allowed the U.S. to use the base only for what London calls defensive strikes. These include strikes on Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. That limit has caused friction between the two allies.centraloregondaily

Trump has also said he was surprised by the bail decisions and "wouldn't have" let the suspects go free.france24