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UK police make 7th arrest in RAF Fairford probe as US pulls bombers over 'threats'

Signage is pictured at an entrance to RAF Fairford in south-west England shortly after sunrise on March 7, 2026. (AFP Photo)
October 06, 2026 04:41 PM GMT+03:00

British counterterrorism police arrested a 22-year-old man in London on Tuesday on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, the seventh arrest in the probe into a suspected plot against RAF Fairford.

This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the American bombers were pulled from the base over "threats" he linked to Iran.

The man, a British national, was detained in Westminster under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, Counter Terrorism Policing said.

Six other men in their 20s arrested earlier in the case remain on police bail.

RAF Fairford, in western England, had been the only base on Britain's mainland used by U.S. bombers to strike Iran.

U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said there are "strong indications" Iran played a part in the incident, which Tehran denies.

RAF Fairford probe 'remains a live investigation'

"This remains a live investigation and our specialist teams continue to pursue multiple lines of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding events near RAF Fairford," said Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing.

"We're acutely aware of the public interest in this investigation, and we are working around the clock, and at pace, to identify the motivation behind events in Gloucestershire. We remain committed to investigating all possible angles," she said.

Five men were arrested near the base on Sept. 27 after a farmer reported three suspicious vans, and a British-Iranian national was arrested on Oct. 1.

Police found a quantity of petrol in the vans but no explosives.

An armored vehicle patrols the interior at RAF Fairford base in Fairford, south-west England, on September 28, 2026. (AFP Photo)
An armored vehicle patrols the interior at RAF Fairford base in Fairford, south-west England, on September 28, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Trump: 'They didn't fly out by accident'

The Pentagon confirmed Sunday that all U.S. bombers deployed to RAF Fairford had returned to their home stations in the United States.

Asked whether a specific threat prompted the move, Trump said Monday: "Yeah, I think we can say that. I mean, they didn't fly out by accident. There were some threats, and rather than tempting the enemy, we'll capture the enemy and beat the enemy."

"We actually know the people that made the threat," Trump said, adding that it "would be linked to Iran."

Asked whether Iran had gotten combat drones into Britain, he said: "I can't tell you that, but if they did, they'll suffer greatly."

Two U.S. officials told NBC News that the bombers were moved partly over a reported threat of a possible Iranian drone attack, though they could not say whether it was imminent.

Officials told The New York Times (NYT) that more specific threat details emerged in the 24 hours before the withdrawal.

US President Donald Trump talks to the media before boarding Marine One as he departs from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, October 5, 2026. (AFP Photo)
US President Donald Trump talks to the media before boarding Marine One as he departs from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, October 5, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Vance, Rubio offer differing accounts

Vice President JD Vance said the planes were redeployed "out of an abundance of caution, trying to protect our guys."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, said he "wouldn't directly tie" the move to the incident near the base.

"It's not unusual to see movement of assets to different parts of the world based on exercises, redeployments, people changing out," he said, adding that Britain "couldn't be more cooperative."

Asked whether RAF Fairford remains safe, Burnham's spokesman said: "Yes."

"We have tried and tested approaches to defend our bases around the country and throughout the world," he said, declining to comment on other countries' military decisions.

Iran's embassy in London has said it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" speculation that Tehran was involved.

October 06, 2026 04:41 PM GMT+03:00
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