UK: Iran ‘highly likely’ to be behind RAF Fairford incident

Five British nationals were arrested in the vicinity of the RAF Fairford airbase on September 27 on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses. They were later released on bail under strict conditions, and another arrest followed days later.

Police had already said they were considering the possibility of a foreign state actor’s involvement, not least given RAF Fairford’s importance to the US Air Force as one of the European bases that handles heavy bombers like B-1’s and B-52’s, with ample range to reach Iran. 

Prime Minister Andy Burnham told lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday that the UK might yet put further sanctions on Iran in response. 

He said there were indications of Iran coordinating the potential plot.

“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 (IRGC),” he said. “We will not tolerate these threats on our soil.” 

The degree of competence exhibited and the threat posed by the group of young British nationals from London is not entirely clear but seems potentially limited.

Preliminary reports suggest that despite a widespread security alert and bomb squad deployment, investigators ultimately did not find viable explosives in the vans. They did, however, find accelerants like petroleum. 

“We will crack down on Iran’s use of criminal networks, using our full range of powers to target them and their funding streams, and we will bring further sanctions to restrict the capacity of Iran and the IRGC to do us harm,” Burnham said. 

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said on Monday that his department had summoned Iran’s ambassador to “reiterate” the message that Britain “will not tolerate attacks on our soil.” 

Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported Ambassador Ali Moussavi as “categorically rejecting the accusations” and calling on the British government “to present evidence supporting its allegations if it possesses any.” 

Miliband said that two individuals would be subject to an immediate asset freeze, travel ban and director disqualification.

He named Ruhollah Bazghandi, head of counterespionage operations in the IRGC and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, an alleged facilitator for the Zindashti criminal network. 

Miliband said they were being sanctioned for ”their role in facilitating or engaging in hostile activity on behalf of the Iranian regime, with the clear intent of threatening, planning or conducting attacks overseas.”

Shortly afterwards, a total of 29 countries issued a joint statement denouncing “in the strongest terms Iran’s use of violent attacks.” 

It said these included “the acts of lethal plotting, arson, sabotage, cyber-attacks, and other hybrid activities against us and our partners.” 

All of the so-called “Five Eyes” alliance and most European NATO members were listed among the signatories, including but not limited to the US, Britain, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain and Ireland. 

In the aftermath of the September 27 incident at Fairford, the high-tech US B-1 bombers left the airbase. The older and larger contingent of B-52’s remained there. 

RAF Fairford is one of several airbases in southern England with a large US usage footprint. It’s located around two hours’ drive west of London, in a rural area north of Swindon.

As with most such bases, it can trace its roots back to the second World War when Nazi Germany occupied most of mainland Europe and Allied powers were operating air raids and preparing for the D-Day landings out of Britain. 

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