British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said there are “strong indications” that Iran played a part in an incident at RAF Fairford, where five men were arrested near the military base in the early hours of Sunday.
Mr Burnham made the assessment during a BBC interview, breaking with the usual caution of political leaders when attributing suspected security threats to a foreign state.
“There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but of course, it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation,” he said.
He added: “And, of course, we are working closely with our colleagues in the United States of America.”
“We are on top of it in every possible way imaginable. Police in Gloucestershire [and] our Counter Terrorism Police have done an outstanding job. I thank them for that,” Mr Burnham said.
“We will say more in due course, but we can confirm our belief that we believe Iran to have played a part.”
The five men were detained near the Gloucestershire air base, which is used to support American bombers. Three vans were found at the scene and were initially thought to be carrying explosives, although police have since said that no explosives were discovered. Stored fuel was found.
The circumstances have raised the possibility that the men were being used to test security around a major military installation rather than carry out an immediate attack. The suspects were later released on bail, a move consistent with an investigation in which police may want to monitor their activities while they remain in the community.
The arrests have also prompted speculation online that the men may have been involved in fuel theft. However, the reported presence of several vehicles near RAF Fairford and the nature of the incident have instead focused attention on whether the base’s defences were being examined.
One unresolved detail is why one of the suspects contacted the emergency services. A 999 call was made at about 12.45am, before a local farmer reported seeing the men to police after 1.30am.
Iran’s ambassador in London has denied any Iranian responsibility for the incident. The British investigation remains under way.
Mr Burnham’s comments bring the public position in London closer to that expressed in Washington, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the incident “clearly involves” a foreign actor.
There remains a difference between the British and American accounts, however. Donald Trump has said the five suspects had been under surveillance for a long time, while no British minister or security official has made the same claim.
The British prime minister’s decision to identify Iran as a likely participant marks a more direct approach to discussing threats blamed on foreign states. In the past, political leaders and national security agencies have generally avoided naming an alleged sponsor until the evidence and links between those involved had been established.
