British counterterrorism police arrested a seventh suspect Tuesday in their investigation of a suspected plot near RAF Fairford, as authorities examine possible Iranian involvement and the United States removes heavy bombers from the strategically important English air base.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
British counterterrorism officers expanded their investigation into a suspected plot near RAF Fairford on Tuesday, arresting a 22-year-old British man in central London as authorities continue examining whether Iran played a role in the security incident surrounding the U.S.-used military installation.
The man was arrested in Westminster on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism under Section 5 of Britain’s Terrorism Act 2006, bringing the number of people detained in connection with the investigation to seven. Officers also searched a property in Westminster, and the latest suspect remained in custody Tuesday.
Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said investigators “continue to pursue multiple lines of inquiry” and “remain committed to investigating all possible angles.”
The inquiry centers on events near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Sept. 27, when five British men in their 20s were detained close to the base. A sixth suspect, a 25-year-old British-Iranian man, was arrested in London on Oct. 1. Those six men were subsequently released on police bail while the investigation continues.
Police found quantities of gasoline inside three vans associated with the original suspects but said searches produced no improvised explosive devices. The discovery prompted an extensive security operation around Fairford, with armed officers, counterterrorism investigators and military bomb-disposal personnel deployed to the rural community. Nearby residents were temporarily evacuated while authorities examined the vehicles and surrounding area.
Investigators have not publicly detailed what they believe the suspects intended to do, and none of those arrested has been convicted of an offense in connection with the case.
The investigation nevertheless carries substantial national-security implications because RAF Fairford has played an important role in U.S. military operations against Iran during this year’s conflict.
The Gloucestershire base, about 100 miles west of London, regularly hosts U.S. Air Force heavy bombers during European deployments and has served as an operating location for B-1B Lancers and B-52 Stratofortresses. American bombers stationed there have participated in strikes involving Iran during the current war.
British officials have said there are indications that Iran may have been connected to the suspected plot, although investigators have not publicly disclosed evidence establishing Tehran’s responsibility.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said authorities had seen “strong indications” of an Iranian connection as the investigation developed, while emphasizing that police and intelligence agencies were continuing to establish precisely what occurred.
Iran has denied involvement.
Tehran has previously maintained that military facilities used to launch attacks against Iranian territory can be considered legitimate targets, adding to concerns surrounding installations that have supported U.S. operations during the conflict.
The security investigation was followed by a major change in the American military presence at Fairford.
The United States withdrew its remaining heavy bombers from the base Sunday, moving B-1 aircraft away from Britain after months of deployment. The Pentagon described the movement as a redeployment of forces, but President Donald Trump subsequently said a security threat was behind the decision.
“We had a threat, and if we’re going to be threatened, we would just move them, and that sort of alleviates that,” Trump told reporters Monday in Washington.
Asked about those responsible for the threat, Trump said they “would be linked to Iran,” though he did not provide evidence or further details.
The president said keeping the aircraft at Fairford unnecessarily could make them vulnerable.
“I don’t want to tempt the enemy,” Trump said.
The removal involved American heavy bombers that had been positioned at Fairford during U.S. military operations against Iran. Earlier reporting also documented the withdrawal of B-52 and B-1 aircraft as the investigation into the suspected plot intensified.
British authorities have stopped short of saying publicly that the American redeployment was directly ordered because of the Sept. 27 incident.
Tom Wells, a spokesman for the British prime minister, declined Monday to address reports linking the aircraft movements to fears of a possible drone strike.
He said he was “not going to comment on foreign nations’ military operations” while maintaining that RAF Fairford remained secure.
U.S. and British officials have also offered somewhat different descriptions of the threat. Trump has publicly connected the bomber movement to a potential Iran-linked danger, while other American officials have described movements of military assets as part of broader operational decisions.
Iran, meanwhile, has called allegations tying it to the suspected Fairford plot baseless.
The episode comes amid heightened concern in Britain about hostile-state operations conducted through intermediaries rather than conventional military forces.
British security officials have increasingly warned that foreign governments, particularly Iran and Russia, may recruit criminals or other proxies to carry out surveillance, intimidation, arson and other activities on British soil.
Officials have said national-security investigations involving hostile-state activity increased by about 50% during the six months ending in December 2025. Iranian-linked operations have received particular scrutiny because of previous alleged plots involving dissidents, journalists and Jewish targets in Britain.
A separate case currently before British courts involves two Iranian nationals accused of preparing a terrorist attack against Jewish targets in Manchester. Prosecutors allege that the men conducted surveillance of the Manchester Jewish Museum and Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue while working on plans involving a homemade chlorine device. Authorities have said that investigation is not connected to the RAF Fairford case.
The growing use of alleged proxies has complicated efforts by Western security agencies to determine whether individual plots are directly ordered by a foreign government, encouraged by it or undertaken independently by sympathizers.
That question remains central to the Fairford investigation.
The presence of gasoline in vehicles near a base hosting strategic American aircraft triggered a major security response, but investigators have not publicly identified explosives or disclosed evidence showing precisely what the men allegedly planned to do.
Police have also emphasized that releasing the initial suspects on bail should not be interpreted as the investigation ending. Counterterrorism officials said decisions about custody were made as part of the investigative process while inquiries continued.
Tuesday’s seventh arrest demonstrates that the investigation remains active more than a week after the initial detentions.
Detectives are now examining the latest suspect’s possible connections to the other men, the vehicles found near Fairford and any wider network that may have been involved.
The case carries added significance because of Fairford’s role as one of the principal European operating locations for American strategic bombers. The base’s long runway and specialized infrastructure allow the United States to deploy long-range aircraft capable of carrying large weapons loads and conducting missions well beyond Europe.
Although the bombers have left Fairford, the United States retains substantial strike capabilities through aircraft, naval forces and other military assets positioned across Europe and the Middle East.
British officials also continue to insist the Gloucestershire installation is secure.
For investigators, however, the central questions remain unresolved: what the men near the base intended to do, whether the seven suspects were working together and whether a foreign government directed or assisted any alleged operation.
With the latest suspect still in custody and police pursuing what they describe as multiple investigative avenues, authorities have yet to announce charges or publicly establish an Iranian role in the suspected plot.
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