The US has rushed to withdraw bombers from an air base in the UK after receiving new threat information about an alleged terrorist plot against the installation, the New York Times reports, citing sources.
The move follows a security scare last month, when police arrested five men near RAF Fairford, which hosts US bombers used in the war against Iran. The suspects were British citizens in their early 20s and were released on bail the following day.
All 12 US Air Force B-1 bombers were withdrawn over the weekend after commanders received new warnings concerning an alleged Iranian-backed plot against the base, two US officials told the NYT on Sunday. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.
Some aircraft reportedly arrived the week before as part of a routine rotation. The withdrawal was deemed so urgent that several bombers and their crews took off before the aerial refueling aircraft needed to support their flights to the US were ready. At least three bombers reached their home base in South Dakota by Sunday, the officials said.
According to one source, the information was connected to threat warnings that surfaced three weeks earlier, but new details received over the preceding 24 hours alarmed commanders and increased the urgency of withdrawing the bombers. The details were not disclosed.
The Pentagon’s European Command confirmed that the aircraft left England but declined to comment on any new warnings.
“We can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford are redeploying to their home stations in the United States,” the command said in a statement. “US Air Force bombers routinely operate around the world to support global force readiness and operational requirements.”
Located in Gloucestershire around 100 miles west of London, Fairford has supported US bombing operations in the Middle East for decades.
The episode in September prompted media speculation about possible Iranian or Russian involvement or links to Islamist extremists.
The incident unfolded after a local resident reported three vans blocking a road after midnight and hooded men running from her car headlights. Police initially suspected the vans could contain explosives, but none were found, although gasoline was recovered.
The suspects, all London residents aged 23-25, were later detained on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack. A sixth man, a dual British-Iranian national arrested in London on October 1 on the same suspicion, has also been released on bail.Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there are “strong indications” that Iran played a part. US President Donald Trump criticized the suspects’ release, saying the US and UK authorities knew about them and that they “were looking to do big damage to our fort.”Iran has denied having any involvement. The embassy in London accused Britain of promoting “Iranophobia.” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected Burnham’s allegation, saying he is “barking up the wrong tree.”
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