New details have emerged in the investigation into last weekend’s major security incident near RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire — including a claim by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel provided intelligence to the UK about an Iranian-sponsored attack plot ahead of the incident, and a BBC report revealing that one of the five men arrested had himself dialled 999.
Netanyahu: ‘We gave the Brits the intel’
Speaking to US broadcaster Fox News on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We gave the Brits the intel that there was going to be an attack, and it’s an Iranian-sponsored attack, and pretty much the next day they slap sanctions on us.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog told the BBC he agreed with Netanyahu’s assessment of Iranian involvement. A senior Israeli official told The Telegraph that the intelligence warning had related specifically to an attempted attack on RAF Fairford, the Gloucestershire air base used by US bombers during military operations against Iran.
Mr Netanyahu’s remarks were directed in part at the UK Government’s decision to impose trade restrictions on goods from Israeli West Bank settlements — announced shortly after Israel shared the intelligence, he claimed. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday that the government believes Iran “played a part” in the incident near the Gloucestershire base. Iran has denied any involvement.
One of the arrested men called 999 himself, BBC reports
In a separate revelation, the BBC has reported that one of the five men arrested in the early hours of Sunday 27 September had himself dialled 999 — at approximately 00:45 BST, nearly an hour before a local female farmer also called police after seeing three vans parked near the base.
The farmer, who remained anonymous, said she initially tried to contact Ministry of Defence police at RAF Fairford but received no answer before dialling 999. “I believe that my 999 call foiled whatever plans they had,” she said. It remains unclear why the suspect made the call or what he told officers.
Sixth arrest and ongoing investigation
Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed on Thursday that a sixth man — a 25-year-old dual UK/Iranian national — was arrested in the Borough of Westminster, London, on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Two properties in the area were searched. The five British nationals originally arrested near Whelford on 27 September remain on police bail and under investigation. Police said no explosive devices were found in the vans, though a quantity of petrol was recovered.
This follows our earlier report: Major incident declared near RAF Fairford as police cordon off airbase and arrest several men.
