UK's Fairford fumble: Suspects released, Iran blamed & now two re-arrested | Gravitas

Four weeks ago, UK police busted an alleged terror plot targeting the UK's Fairford base, which hosted hundreds of US military personnel and aircraft. However, questions were raised as all seven suspects arrested in the case were released on bail.

Now, in a new development, two of them, a 24-year-old British citizen and a 25-year-old British-Iranian dual national, have been re-arrested. They were taken into custody on suspicion of assisting the Iranian intelligence service.

UK counter-terrorism police revealed that the probe into the alleged terror plot is hugely complex and that evidence gathering continues. Investigators are still examining the level of Iranian involvement and the aim behind the alleged plot.

As they have been charged under Section 3 of the UK's National Security Act, these suspects face a potential sentence of 14 years in jail.

But the sequence of events raises a lot of questions.

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Let's take the case of the 24-year-old British national who was re-arrested. He was one of the five men arrested near the Fairford base on September 27 for preparation of a terrorist act.

After no explosives were found in the three vehicles they were travelling in, they were released on police bail barely a day later.

Three days later, the British-Iranian dual national was arrested in London and also charged with preparation of a terrorist act. However, he too was released on police bail almost immediately.

Now, it is worth noting that a suspect can be released from police custody in the UK until the first court hearing, subject to certain conditions.

While the anti-terror police said its decision to grant bail was grounded in experience and strategy, US President Donald Trump openly criticised the move.

A week after the Fairford incident, the US pulled out all its bomber jets from the base, a move that Trump attributed to a possible Iranian threat.

This base had been used by the US military during the West Asia war to strike Iran.

However, Tehran has denied any link to the alleged plot.

A few days earlier, UK PM Andy Burnham accused Iran over the Fairford terror plot. His government also imposed an immediate asset freeze and travel ban on two Iranians for their alleged role in planning and conducting attacks overseas.

As the mystery surrounding the alleged Fairford terror plot deepens, the case has turned into a major test for British security and counter-terrorism policing.