President Donald Trump said he was surprised British authorities released five terrorism suspects on bail after arrests near RAF Fairford, while investigators stressed the men remain under strict restrictions and said no connection to Iran has been established.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump criticized British authorities Monday for releasing five men on police bail after they were arrested near a Royal Air Force base used by U.S. bombers, saying he would have kept the suspects in custody while suggesting, without providing details, that the case “might be” connected to Iran.
The five British nationals, ages 23 to 25 and from the London area, remain under investigation after being detained Sunday near RAF Fairford in western England on suspicion of explosives offenses and later on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
British counterterrorism authorities said their release does not mean the men have been cleared and that all five remain subject to stringent bail conditions governing their movements and contacts with other people.
Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, made clear that he disagreed with the decision.
“I’m surprised that they released them. I wouldn’t have done that,” Trump said. “We know everything about them. We would not have released them.”
When asked whether the incident was connected to Iran, Trump replied that it “might be.”
Pressed to explain further, he declined.
“I know the answer. I can be very specific, but I’d rather not say,” Trump said.
British investigators have not publicly established any Iranian involvement in the incident. Iran has denied involvement, and counterterrorism officials have said they are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry while attempting to determine the circumstances surrounding the arrests.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, emphasized Monday that the investigation remained active despite the decision to release the suspects.
“The five men who were arrested are being released on police bail this afternoon. To be very clear, this does not mean that the investigation is over. They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others. They absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of inquiry,” Taylor said.
The arrests followed a call to police early Sunday about three suspicious white vans traveling toward RAF Fairford.
Armed officers responded and detained five men in the Welford area near the installation. Police initially arrested the men on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act before subsequently arresting them on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
The incident triggered an extensive security operation around the base.
Approximately 85 nearby households were evacuated as a precaution, and Army bomb-disposal personnel examined the three vans. Residents reported hearing sounds believed to have been controlled detonations while specialists worked around the vehicles.
The decision to release the men came roughly a day and a half after their arrests. Authorities said the suspects remain under investigation and have not announced charges.
RAF Fairford’s military role has heightened scrutiny of the incident.
The Gloucestershire base has supported U.S. long-range bomber operations and has been used by American B-1 bombers during military operations against Iran. Its involvement in those missions has made the installation relevant to the wider conflict.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned in July that military installations used to launch attacks against Iranian territory could be considered legitimate targets.
That background has fueled questions about whether Sunday’s incident could have a foreign-state connection. British investigators, however, have not said that Iran directed or assisted the five suspects.
Authorities are examining several possible explanations, including whether anyone involved could have been acting knowingly or unknowingly on behalf of a foreign government, according to CNN.
Counterterrorism officials have also indicated publicly that investigators are considering other possible motives and have cautioned against assuming a particular explanation while inquiries continue.
Trump’s criticism Monday followed considerably more celebratory remarks after the initial arrests Sunday.
The president described the operation as “fantastic” and praised cooperation between American and British authorities.
“They were looking to do big damage to our fort,” Trump said. “Working with the British worked out great.”
Trump also said the suspects had been monitored “for a long time.”
British authorities have not publicly confirmed that assertion. Their account of the arrests has focused on the Sunday call concerning suspicious vehicles approaching RAF Fairford and the subsequent police response.
The release on bail does not represent a determination of innocence or end the investigation. Under British procedure, suspects can remain subject to police inquiries and restrictive conditions while investigators continue gathering evidence and determining whether criminal charges are warranted.
Monday’s development therefore leaves several major questions unresolved, including what investigators found inside or around the vans, what the men intended to do near RAF Fairford and whether any outside organization or foreign government was involved.
Trump suggested publicly that the answer to the Iran question is known but declined to disclose what information he was referring to.
British authorities, meanwhile, have maintained a more limited public position: five men remain under investigation, their movements and contacts are restricted, and investigators are continuing to pursue multiple possible explanations for what happened near the air base.
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