British Man Bailed After Arrest in Security Incident at U.S. Military Base

Authorities have released a 22-year-old British man on bail following his arrest on suspicion of plotting a terror attack at a U.S.-run military air base in England. The suspect, who has not been named, is the seventh individual bailed as part of an investigation into an alleged plot targeting RAF Fairford, a base used by American bombers to strike Iran.

British authorities have linked Tehran to the incident that prompted the U.S. to withdraw its bombers from RAF Fairford on Sunday. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the Trump administration believed the base faced Iranian threats intended to cause casualties among American troops and destroy U.S. aircraft. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has indicated that the United Kingdom sees "strong indications" of Iranian involvement, though he did not provide specifics regarding the suspects' plans or the evidence for Iran's alleged role.

Iran has denied any involvement in the incident. However, the country has previously declared any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.

Police are continuing their investigation into the security incident that led to the evacuation of numerous residents from homes near the base on September 27. Armed police and army bomb-disposal experts responded to the rural area. Authorities later reported finding a quantity of gasoline in three vans associated with the initial five suspects, but no explosives were discovered.

All suspects arrested in connection with the incident have been in their 20s. Six are British nationals, and one holds dual U.K.-Iranian citizenship. RAF Fairford, located approximately 100 miles west of London, was utilized by American B-1 and B-52 bombers during the Iran war. The British government had permitted the U.S. military to use the base for what it described as defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites following Iranian attacks on British interests and allied nations in the Gulf.