US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that a foreign actor was “clearly” involved in a suspected bomb plot near RAF Fairford in southern England, but provided no evidence or identified the country.
“What happened, what almost happened, what could have happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation,” Rubio said in an interview with Fox News. “It’s one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor.”
Rubio also said many people were “disturbed” that five men arrested near the air base had been released on police bail.
British counter-terrorism police said the five British nationals, all from London, remain under investigation and are subject to stringent bail conditions. Authorities are examining multiple lines of enquiry, including whether the suspects acted as proxies for a foreign state.
The men were arrested after three suspicious vans were reported near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Around 85 households were evacuated during the security operation.
Iran has denied involvement, while British authorities have not concluded whether the incident was state-backed.
