US President Donald Trump said that Washington expects more information from Britain on why the five suspects in the alleged plot against the “Fairford“ base were released on bail. The American president described the decision as “surprising“.
The case is related to a Royal Air Force facility in Gloucestershire, which in recent months has been used by US bombers in strikes against Iran. The five detainees are British citizens aged around 25. They were arrested late last week on suspicion of illegal possession of explosives and terrorism, and were released on bail on Monday.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were "strong indications" that Iran was involved in the incident at the base, but stressed that the police investigation was ongoing.
Burnham said in television interviews. He described the investigation as complex.
British authorities responded to the case in the early hours of Sunday after reports of suspicious vans and masked men in the area. An unspecified amount of gasoline was seized during the investigation, but no explosive devices were found in the vans.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the alleged plot "certainly involved a foreign entity", without specifying who it was. According to Trump, the suspects had been "monitored for a long time". The US president added that he expected the British side to explain the decision to release them.
Suspects remain under investigation
The head of the British counter-terrorism police, Deputy Commissioner Lawrence Taylor, said that the five remained under investigation and must comply with bail under "very strict conditions". Dozens of residents evacuated from the base area have already been allowed to return to their homes.
Burnham told “Sky News“ that he would not hesitate to convene parliament if necessary. Earlier this week, a meeting of the Government's Emergency Committee was held under his chairmanship.
The Iranian embassy in London denied any connection with the alleged plot. The possible involvement of Tehran remains one of the versions that British authorities are working on, and final details about the organizers and the goals of the plan have not been announced.
Sources: BTA, Reuters, PA Media