The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated that the alleged terrorist plot against the RAF Fairford airbase in southwest England involved the participation of a foreign government or entity.
The statements made by the head of U.S. diplomacy, despite the restraint and lack of detail, go further than what the British authorities have publicly acknowledged, according to a report by CNN.
It's something that clearly involved the hands of a foreign actor; I still won't go into much detail about it, Rubio said in an interview with Fox News on Monday night, adding that "there will be much more news about this."
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday when a local resident alerted the police after encountering three white vans parked in a "strange formation" about 100 meters from the perimeter fence of the base.
Five men—British citizens aged between 23 and 25, all from the London area—were arrested on suspicion of possessing explosives and, subsequently, "on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act."
About 85 homes were evacuated in the surrounding area. Aerial images showed a bomb disposal robot operating among the vans, and news crews heard two controlled detonations in the area.
The five suspects were released on bail on Monday, with strict mobility restrictions, which sparked criticism from President Donald Trump: "I wouldn't have done that." Trump also hinted from the Oval Office at a connection to Iran: "I know the answer, I can be very specific, but I would prefer not to say it."
Rubio was more direct in linking the episode to the Iranian threat: «I believe this connects us to the reality. We are dealing with elements in the world —and, for example, in the case of Iran— that have openly threatened to attack American interests worldwide».
Iran denied any involvement. Its embassy in London condemned "recent unfounded and malicious speculations" that sought to link it to the arrests.
However, in July, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had already warned that "any base used to attack Iranian territory is a legitimate target for our forces", explicitly pointing to Fairford.
The base gained enormous strategic importance this year after being authorized by then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer for U.S. operations "of a defensive nature" against Iranian missile installations.
Since March, B-1B Lancer and B-52H bombers have taken off from there for missions against Iran, with a deployment of 18 aircraft between the 6th and the 13th of that month.
Rubio's statements are part of a broader pattern of threats against Western interests.
The CIA recently warned about a possible Russian maritime drone attack against Spain, and back in August, Iran was already evaluating striking U.S. targets in Europe.
Rubio has also pointed out that Cuba is a platform for the operations of Washington's adversaries, and Trump has warned about possible Iranian drones stored on the island.
The British anti-terrorist police, led by Laurence Taylor, stated that the investigation considers "the possibility that it may have been actively committed by proxy agents or individuals who operate, knowingly or unknowingly, on behalf of a foreign state."
The Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired an emergency COBRA committee meeting on Monday, and the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that "the area is already safe."
Rubio concluded his statements with a direct warning: "What happened this weekend could have been, and was, a very serious threat," promising that there will be "consequences" if Washington's adversaries attempt to attack U.S. interests anywhere in the world.
Filed under: