Trump Surprised Air Base Terror Suspects Released on Bail

Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW

US President Donald Trump has questioned Britain’s decision to release five men on bail after their arrest over an alleged terrorist plot near RAF Fairford, saying he was “surprised” by the move and that he “wouldn’t have done that”.

The five British men, all in their 20s and from London, were arrested on Sunday after police responded to reports of three suspicious vans near RAF Fairford, a Gloucestershire base used by the US military.

British counter-terrorism police released the suspects on bail following extensive interviews but stressed that the investigation remains active.

Trump’s reaction came as British authorities examined whether a foreign state may have been involved. Asked about the decision to release the suspects, Trump said: “I was surprised that they released them. I wouldn’t have done that.” He also said the alleged plot “might be” connected to Iran but declined to provide further details.

Trump challenges Britain’s decision

Trump had already claimed that US and British authorities had been monitoring the suspects for some time and said they were allegedly looking to cause “big damage” at the base.

His comments put the decision to grant bail under an international spotlight, particularly because RAF Fairford hosts US military assets and has been used for US operations against Iran.

British authorities have stressed, however, that release on bail does not mean the investigation has ended. Counter Terrorism Policing chief Laurence Taylor said investigators were pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, including whether individuals had acted as proxies for a foreign state.

“We are considering this from every possible angle,” Taylor said, including the possibility that individuals were “knowingly or unknowingly” working on behalf of a foreign state.

British questions over the security response

The decision to release the suspects has come amid wider questions about how they managed to get close to the base.

A local farmer who alerted police after seeing three vans and a group of hooded and masked men near the base said she was “absolutely staggered” that she had been the person who discovered the activity.

“I believe that my 999 call foiled whatever plans they had,” she said, adding that it appeared someone had “really dropped the ball”.

Tristan Wilkinson, a Cotswold councillor whose ward includes the area, also questioned why the suspects were allegedly allowed to get so close to the base and nearby homes if security services already had intelligence about them.

“I would have expected them to have done a hard stop on the van before they got to people’s homes,” Wilkinson said.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting thanked the farmer for raising the alarm but said she had only a “partial picture” of the security operation. He declined to discuss operational details.

Investigation continues

Police have imposed stringent conditions on the five men while investigators continue their work.

Authorities are also examining the three vans with military and forensic specialists. Reports have suggested that material found inside the vehicles may not have constituted viable explosives, although police have not publicly confirmed the details.

Iran has denied any involvement in the incident.

The case remains under investigation, leaving open questions about the suspects’ intentions, the nature of any potential foreign involvement and why authorities released them on bail so soon after the arrests.

Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.