British Prime Minister Andy Burnham told Parliament on Monday that intelligence assessments point to Iran as the force behind a suspected terrorist plot targeting RAF Fairford, the British airbase used by American bombers during operations against Iran.
“I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard,” Burnham said.
Despite that assessment, all seven men arrested in connection with the investigation have been released on bail, and as of Monday none had been charged, according to Metro.
Burnham said the government would respond to the threat. “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,” he said.
He also promised additional sanctions against Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband separately summoned the Iranian ambassador to register Britain’s objections over the incident.
The case has unfolded in stages since September. An initial five suspects were arrested and then released, a decision defended at the time by counterterrorism official Laurence Taylor, who said they remained under investigation and were subject to restrictions on their movements and contacts. A seventh suspect was later arrested, deepening concerns about the scope of the alleged plot.
Following the security scare, the United States withdrew its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford. President Donald Trump said the move was deliberate. “They didn’t fly out by accident,” Trump said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is designated a terrorist organization by the United States. British officials have not publicly detailed why the seven men arrested in the case remain free on bail while the government simultaneously describes Iranian state direction as highly likely.
