Sixth Man Arrested in RAF Fairford Investigation as Iran Rejects UK Claims

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A US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress comes in to land at RAF Fairford, England.
A US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress landing at RAF Fairford, 27 February 2025. The Gloucestershire base is at the centre of an ongoing counter-terrorism investigation. (File photograph: Airman 1st Class Luis Gomez, US Air Force, public domain)

What has happened

Counter-terrorism police have made a sixth arrest in the investigation into a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford. The 27-year-old man, a dual UK-Iranian national, was arrested in the borough of Westminster in London on Thursday afternoon on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.

A second man, aged 26 and a UK national, has also been questioned under caution, and searches have been carried out at two properties in the Westminster area. Five men in their 20s, arrested near the Gloucestershire air base on Sunday 27 September, remain on police bail.

The update was issued by Counter Terrorism Policing at 5.30pm on Thursday 1 October, the first official statement since the investigation widened beyond the original five arrests.

The key facts

  • Who: a 27-year-old dual UK-Iranian national, arrested in Westminster; a 26-year-old UK national questioned under caution.
  • What: arrest on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006; searches of two properties.
  • Where: Westminster, London; the investigation centres on activity near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Sunday 27 September.
  • When: Thursday 1 October, announced at 5.30pm by Counter Terrorism Policing.
  • Context: five men in their 20s were arrested near the base on Sunday on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences, then released on police bail on Monday.

A fast-moving, fast-escalating investigation

The investigation began on Sunday when five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, were detained in the Gloucestershire countryside near RAF Fairford after reports that three vans were heading towards the base. Police later confirmed that a quantity of petrol, but no explosive devices, had been found in the vehicles. The five men were released on police bail on Monday.

The case took a sharp political turn on Wednesday when Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were "strong indications" that Iran had played a part in the incident. The prime minister said he would not hesitate to recall Parliament if necessary, and chaired an emergency Cobra meeting on the matter during Labour's party conference.

Thursday's arrest of a dual UK-Iranian national is the first time the investigation has touched a suspect with Iranian nationality. Police have been careful not to link the arrest directly to any state. Senior National Co-ordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing Vicki Evans said the investigation was "hugely complex" and that specialist teams were "interrogating multiple lines of enquiry".

"As we've made clear, we're looking at all possible angles, including possible foreign state involvement," she said. "I'd like to thank the public for their continued support and patience whilst we work through this investigation."

Iran rejects the claim

Iran has firmly denied any role in the incident. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the British government's assertion on Thursday, dismissing London's reasoning.

In a public response to the prime minister's remarks, Araghchi wrote that Iran believed "releasing supposed terrorists working for foreign states really says it all", adding: "You're barking up the wrong tree."

The denial sets up a direct clash between the two governments. The Times reports that investigators believe the five men originally arrested may have been offered small amounts of money to act as proxies, with Iran-linked recruiters suspected of approaching them. That account comes from investigators' briefings rather than a formal police statement, and remains a reported claim rather than a confirmed finding.

Netanyahu says Israel warned Britain

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added another twist on Wednesday evening, telling Fox News host Sean Hannity that Israel had given Britain intelligence about an Iranian-sponsored attack.

"We gave the Brits the intel that there was going to be an attack and that it's an Iranian-sponsored attack, and pretty much the next day they slapped sanctions on us," Netanyahu said. "It's wild."

He stopped short of confirming whether he was specifically referring to the RAF Fairford incident, and his comments went beyond anything British authorities have publicly confirmed about the source of the intelligence behind the investigation. The claim also appeared aimed at criticising Britain's decision to ban goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which Netanyahu described as absurd timing.

Why RAF Fairford matters

RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force base in Gloucestershire that hosts the US Air Force's forward-deployed bomber force in Europe. It has been used in recent months by American bombers after the UK granted the US permission to use British bases for what were described as defensive strikes against Iran during the wider Middle East conflict.

Iran has warned that any base used to launch strikes against it is a legitimate target for retaliation, which is why the incident at Fairford carries weight beyond a routine criminal investigation.

What is known and what is not

Confirmed: a sixth man has been arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts; a second man has been questioned under caution; two properties have been searched; five men arrested on Sunday remain on bail.

Official statements: the prime minister says there are strong indications Iran played a part; counter-terrorism police say all angles, including foreign state involvement, are under review; Iran denies any role; Netanyahu claims Israel passed intelligence to Britain.

Not confirmed: who the sixth man is; whether any of the six men were acting at the direction of a foreign state; what the petrol found in the vans was intended for; what triggered the original security alert.

What happens next

Counter-terrorism police are appealing for information through the official ACT website or the anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. No charges have been brought against any of the six people arrested so far.

The prime minister has left open the option of recalling Parliament, and the investigation is now the most politically charged counter-terrorism case in Britain since the start of the Middle East war. Further arrests and further disclosures are both possible in the coming days.

Related articles

Five Men Arrested Near RAF Fairford as Police Investigate Suspected Terror Plot

Burnham Says There Are Strong Indications Iran Was Behind RAF Fairford Incident

UK Targets Russia's Shadow Fleet and Propagandists in Fresh 31-Measure Sanctions Package

Sources

  • Counter Terrorism Policing, official update, 1 October 2026: https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/news/update-on-raf-fairford-investigation-1730-01-october-2026/
  • The Times, 1 October 2026: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/iran-believed-to-be-involved-in-raf-fairford-plot-andy-burnham-says-57h0q2pvp
  • Nation Press, 1 October 2026 (Iranian FM rejection): https://www.nationpress.com/international/iran-denies-role-in-raf-fairford-incident
  • Brit Brief, 1 October 2026 (Netanyahu Fox News claims): https://britbrief.co.uk/crime/terrorism/netanyahu-uk-warned-of-iranian-attack-before-raf-fairford-plot.html
  • PA via Oldham Times, 1 October 2026 (sixth arrest corroboration): https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/national/26600371.sixth-man-arrested-connection-suspected-raf-fairford-terror-plot/

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