By Jill Lawless and Pan Pylas
Police on Thursday arrested a dual U.K.-Iranian national on suspicion of plotting a terror attack following a security incident at a U.S.-run military air base in England that British authorities have linked to Tehran.
The 27-year-old man was arrested in London on Thursday, and police have searched two properties in the U.K. capital, Counter Terrorism Policing said in a statement.
A 26-year-old British national was interviewed by police “under caution,” which means the interview was recorded and can be used in future prosecutions.
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On Sunday, five men, all British nationals in their 20s and from London, were arrested on suspicion of explosives and terror offenses close to the RAF Fairford air base, which has been used by American bombers to strike Iran. The suspects have since been released on bail.
Police say they found a quantity of an accelerant – gasoline – in three vans linked to the five suspects, but no explosives.
Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing, said the investigation “is hugely complex, and our specialist teams are interrogating multiple lines of inquiry.
“As we’ve made clear, we’re looking at all possible angles — including possible foreign state involvement,” she said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the U.K. sees “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the incident. Iran denies involvement.
The base 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of London has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East, including this year’s war with Iran.
Top U.S. officials have criticized the decision to grant five suspects bail, with President Donald Trump saying “I wouldn’t have done that” and Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying a lot of people were “disturbed” by the move.
Burnham said authorities have the investigation under “the strongest grip and the closest control,” and British officials had been “talking to counterparts in the United States all week to explain what is happening here, how things are being done.”
U.K. officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arsons and other attacks in Britain and other countries, many of them targeting the Jewish community and intended to sow fear. They have previously warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the U.K. if conflicts in the Middle East continue.
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