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UK Police Release Five Terror Suspects on Bail
Confirmed
In Short: Five men arrested near RAF Fairford, a U.S. air base in Britain, on suspicion of a terror plot have been released on bail, according to British police.
Five men arrested near RAF Fairford, a U.S. air base in Britain, on suspicion of a terror plot have been released on bail, according to British police.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said the five men, who all live in inner London boroughs, were being released on bail but stressed that the investigation is not over.
Taylor added that the men would be subject to 'stringent' bail conditions and that they remain under investigation as police explore multiple lines of enquiry.
The incident has raised tensions, with US President Donald Trump expressing surprise at the suspects' release and suggesting a possible link to Iran.
Iran's Embassy in London has categorically denied any connection to the incident, rejecting and condemning the speculations.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Fox News' Stephanie Bennett analyzed the alleged terror plot, discussing the ongoing economic and military threats posed by Iran.
Taylor emphasized that the release of the suspects does not mean the investigation is over, leaving open the possibility that they could have been proxies for a foreign government.
What this adds
The news of the suspects' release has sparked varied reactions, with some highlighting police uncertainty and ongoing inquiry, while others foreground Trump's certainty about the case.
Iran's Embassy denied involvement in the plot, fueling speculation about potential 'Iranophobia propaganda'.
What's confirmed
- "The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base," the Embassy wrote on X.
- FAIRFORD: British police said Monday five men arrested near an airbase used by the United States were released on bail, as Washington asserted a “foreign actor” was involved in the suspected bomb plot.
What's still developing
- As she turned her car around, she told the BBC that her headlights illuminated a group of "hooded and masked men" who "panicked" upon being spotted and scrambled into a nearby woods.
- US President Donald Trump, speaking in Washington, said he was “surprised that they released them”, adding that “I wouldn’t have done that”.
- UK counter-terror police are leading the investigation after authorities received reports Sunday of three “suspicious” white vans near the airbase, which has been used by the United States to bomb Iran.
- A farmer living in the village of Whelford near the airbase said she rang the police after seeing the vans blocking a road and a group of masked men.
- After hearing news of their bail, Trump said Monday the case “might be” linked to Iran but declined to elaborate.
- Earlier, Iran had denied involvement in any plot to target the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford base in Gloucestershire, southwest England, following the security scare there early Sunday.
- Left out by 4 of 6 who reported it Iran Embassy says speculations fuel 'Iranophobia propaganda'.
- Donald Trump said the arrests were “fantastic” and praised cooperation with British authorities, while he also told reporters the suspects had been under surveillance “for a long time.” tap a side to read it in full Some outlets foreground Trump’s certainty vs others highlight police uncertainty and ongoing inquiry.
- How US President Trump's claim relates to bail and investigation certainty.
- Police evacuated about 85 homes in the nearby village of Whelford as a precaution, and the counter-terror investigation used a bomb disposal robot to examine three white vans.