Counter-terrorism police have re-arrested two men linked to a security incident at RAF Fairford last month. A 24-year-old British national and a 25-year-old dual UK-Iranian citizen are currently being detained under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023 on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service.
The investigation follows an alert on 27 September, when police received reports of three suspicious vehicles traveling toward the Gloucestershire US airbase at 00:45 BST. A bomb disposal team was deployed to the village to examine a number of vehicles.
This prompted a major incident declaration and the temporary evacuation of dozens of nearby homes.
While investigators initially suspected offences under the Explosives Act, they later confirmed that no improvised explosive devices were recovered from the scene.
It was noted that petrol was discovered inside three vans located near the base perimeter.
A total of seven men have been arrested since the inquiry began. The two individuals recently re-arrested were originally detained on 27 September and 1 October, respectively. Five other suspects, including a 22-year-old British national arrested in Westminster on 6 October, currently remain on police bail. The re-arrests announced on Tuesday relate to a 24-year-old man who was initially arrested on 27 September near the base and a 25-year-old who was arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts days later on 1 October in the borough of Westminster.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, described the case as a complex, live investigation. He affirmed that the official position remains unchanged: there is a high likelihood of Iranian state involvement. Investigators are currently working to determine the extent and objective of that suspected interference. Our investigators are continuing to examine what that level of involvement was and the ambition behind it. Our specialist teams have been working tirelessly to interrogate the many lines of enquiry involved in this hugely complex investigation,” he said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham previously stated there were strong indications of Iranian links to the incident, a claim which Iran has formally denied. Following the event, the United States removed its B-1 and B-52 bombers from the airfield, returning them to the US. President Donald Trump cited undisclosed threats as the reason for the relocation, while Vice-President JD Vance characterized the move as an action taken out of an abundance of caution.
RAF Fairford has historically served as a critical forward operating location for the US Air Force. Its recent role has included support for defensive strikes against Iran after the UK government authorized the use of the base for such operations. Security officials emphasized that investigations into national security matters are inherently sensitive and require extensive time to progress. The officer added that national security investigations can take time to progress due to their sensitive nature. He did not provide further details at the time. The US has flown B-1 and B-52 bombers from the base to the Middle East, after the UK approved a request for Fairford to be used for defensive strikes against Iran, in recent months.
