UK-Iranian dual national arrested over RAF Fairford incident, police say

Counter-terrorism inquiry widens after RAF Fairford security incident

Ninoda.com – A 27-year-old UK-Iranian dual national has been arrested in London as the investigation into a security incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire continues to expand.

Counter-terrorism officers said the man was detained in Westminster on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. A second individual, a 26-year-old British man, has been interviewed under caution. Police have also searched two properties in the Westminster area as part of their inquiries.

The arrest follows an incident early on Sunday near RAF Fairford, a base used by the United States Air Force. Five men in their twenties were arrested close to the airfield after police were alerted to suspicious vehicle movements in the area. They have since been released on police bail while the investigation proceeds.

Five men remain on bail

All five men originally detained are British nationals from London. They are aged between 23 and 25, with four living in Westminster and one in Camden. Their homes have been searched as officers examine the circumstances leading up to the incident.

The initial operation began after three vehicles were seen travelling towards the Gloucestershire base in the early hours of Sunday. Around an hour before a local farmer contacted police about a large group of masked people near the vehicles, one of the men involved had made a 999 call himself.

Those first arrested were initially suspected of explosives-related offences. The investigation later moved to suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Officers searched vans near the site and found petrol, but said no explosive devices were recovered.

Police described the decision to release the five men on Monday as an investigative step shaped by experience and strategy, rather than an end to the case. Bail allows detectives to continue examining evidence, conducting searches and pursuing other lines of inquiry while suspects remain subject to conditions.

Foreign-state questions remain under examination

Senior counter-terrorism coordinator Vicki Evans said detectives are keeping every potential explanation under review, including the possibility of overseas state involvement.

The investigation into circumstances surrounding events in Gloucestershire is hugely complex, and our specialist teams are interrogating multiple lines of enquiry.

I’d like to thank the public for their continued support and patience whilst we work through this investigation.

The comments underline the scale of the inquiry, which has involved specialist counter-terrorism teams alongside the local policing response. Investigators must establish not only what happened near the base, but whether those involved were acting independently, had support from others, or were connected to a wider plan.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday that there were “strong indications” of Iranian involvement. He did not give further details about the basis for that assessment. Tehran has firmly rejected any suggestion that it played a role.

The possibility of foreign-state involvement is particularly sensitive because RAF Fairford has long held strategic importance for US military operations. The airfield has served as a forward operating location for the US Air Force for decades, making security around the site a matter of concern beyond Gloucestershire.

Why RAF Fairford matters

RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in name, but it is also used by the United States Air Force for deployments and operations. Its role has brought increased attention in recent months, as US bombers have departed from the base for missions connected to the Middle East.

The UK had approved a US request to use RAF Fairford for defensive strikes on Iran. That wider regional context has intensified scrutiny of the Sunday incident and of any evidence that could point to a connection with international tensions.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the incident had plainly involved “the hands of a foreign actor”. His remarks added to the political pressure surrounding the investigation, although police have stressed that they are still testing multiple possibilities.

For residents near the base, the visible police operation was an immediate sign of the seriousness with which authorities treated the reports. A major incident was declared on Sunday, and a substantial police presence could be seen around the area as officers secured locations and carried out searches.

Declaring a major incident does not itself establish what crime has been committed or who may be responsible. It allows emergency and policing resources to be coordinated rapidly where an event could present a significant public-safety or national-security risk.

Investigation continues

The inquiry now involves arrests in London, searches at addresses linked to those questioned and examination of vehicles found near RAF Fairford. Detectives will also be assessing communications, movements and any material seized during the operation.

Police have not publicly set out an alleged motive, nor have they said that the men on bail or the two people questioned in Westminster have been charged. Suspicion and police bail are not findings of guilt; any criminal allegation would need to be tested through the legal process.

Authorities have asked the public to remain patient while specialist officers work through the evidence. With questions still open about the purpose of the vehicles, the presence of masked individuals and possible international links, the investigation is likely to remain detailed and closely watched.