Two men re-arrested on suspicion of assisting Iran after RAF Fairford 'terror plot'

Two men who were arrested during an investigation into a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford have been re-arrested on suspicion of assisting Iran's intelligence service. Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) said it was "highly likely that there is Iranian state involvement" in the incident that took place close to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on September 27. A 24-year-old UK national, and a 25-year-old dual UK-Iranian national, both from the borough of Westminster, London, were re-arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023. The country to which the investigation relates is Iran, CTP said. The 24-year-old man had been initially arrested on September 27 near RAF Fairford and the 25-year-old was initially arrested on October 1 in Westminster. The other five men arrested during the investigation remain on police bail. Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, said: "Since the events at RAF Fairford on Sunday September 27, our specialist teams have been working tirelessly to interrogate the many lines of inquiry involved in this hugely complex investigation. "So far, seven men have been arrested in connection with our investigation. As a result of the ongoing efforts of our officers, earlier today two of those men were re-arrested for offences relating to Section 3 of the National Security Act – assisting a foreign intelligence service. "This is very much a live investigation, and our evidence gathering continues, but at this time our position remains the same; we consider it highly likely that there is Iranian state involvement. Our investigators are continuing to examine what that level of involvement was and the ambition behind it. "Due to their sensitive nature, national security investigations can take time to progress, and I’m grateful to everyone who has given my teams the time and space needed to pursue this work thoroughly and effectively. "From the outset our priority has been to uphold the integrity of this investigation and hold those who wish to do our country harm accountable. We know the public have unanswered questions. I want to be as transparent as possible and when we are in the position to share more, we will." Three suspicious vans were stopped near the airbase on September 27. No explosive materials were found but a quantity of petrol was seized. The US and UK have led international condemnation of Iran after Andy Burnham said earlier this month that it was "highly likely" Tehran was behind the RAF Fairford incident. The Prime Minister said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps "almost certainly" directed a suspected terror plot targeting the air base in Gloucestershire, which was used by US bombers. A joint statement released by the US State Department, endorsed by more than 20 countries, condemned Iran for actions including "lethal plotting, arson, sabotage, cyber-attacks" around the world. Updating MPs on the Fairford incident, the Prime Minister said: "I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been co-ordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard. We will not tolerate these threats on our soil. "We will crack down on Iran’s use of criminal networks, using our full range of powers to target them and their funding streams, and we will bring further sanctions to restrict the capacity of Iran and the IRGC to do us harm." The Fairford incident took place against the backdrop of ongoing war between the US and Iran, which has disrupted oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz waterway and driven a hike in energy prices. The US bombers at the base were removed after the suspected terror plot drama, although it remains unclear precisely why the Pentagon made the move.