President Donald Trump has sharply criticised British authorities after five terror suspects arrested near a UK airbase used by US forces were released on bail.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump questioned the decision to grant bail following a major counter-terrorism operation at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
“I’m just disappointed that they caught terrorists. How do you give bail to a terrorist?” Trump said.
He said the United States had been involved in the investigation for some time, before telling a British reporter that their “fellow countrymen” had released the men.
“These were serious people, seriously bad people, and they should not have done that yet,” Trump added.
Trump’s remarks came after police confirmed that petrol had been found in vans linked to the alert near the base, but that no explosive devices were recovered.
The five men were first arrested on suspicion of explosives offences before being held under counter-terrorism legislation. All were released on police bail on Monday. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who leads UK Counter Terrorism Policing, described the move as a tactical “investigative decision.”
By Tuesday, life was gradually returning to normal around RAF Fairford after dozens of residents were evacuated during the dramatic operation on Sunday morning.
President Donald Trump has condemned the decision to release on bail five terror suspects arrested near RAF Fairford, a strategic UK airbase used by US military forces
Trump said the investigation had involved the United States but claimed the suspects had been released by their “fellow countrymen”
Police arrested five British men from London in their 20s near RAF Fairford on terror-related allegations. All have since been released on bail
Providing an update, Taylor said police had found no improvised explosive devices, although they had recovered a quantity of petrol.
He confirmed that the five men had been released on police bail the previous day and remained under investigation subject to strict conditions while inquiries continued.
Taylor said protecting the public remained central to every investigative decision, including the decision to release the suspects.
Acknowledging that the move had surprised many people, he said it was based on police experience, careful assessment and the available legal powers.
The British nationals were detained on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offences on Sunday after three vans were discovered near RAF Fairford, a Gloucestershire airbase that has been used by the US military for strikes against Iran.
Police officers secure the area as roadblocks remain near RAF Fairford after authorities declared a major incident at the airbase
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said public safety was at the “forefront” of the decision to release the suspects on bail
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The suspects include a 24-year-old from Camden in north London, as well as a 23-year-old, two 24-year-olds and a 25-year-old, all from Westminster in central London.
Police have not said when the men are expected to answer bail.
A major incident was sparked on Sunday morning with elite SAS troops deployed to the site from Hereford and an emergency COBRA meeting called by Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Residents from around 85 evacuated households were allowed to return home on Monday.
One local businesswoman complained the arrested men had been bailed and potentially allowed back to their homes before local residents in Whelford had.
Police cordons near the base are expected to be completely lifted on Wednesday, and searches of the London homes of the five suspects have been completed.
Earlier today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted the plot ‘involved the hand of a foreign actor’.
In a television interview, Mr Rubio mentioned Iran by name, noting that the regime had previously threatened to target US interests. However, he stopped short of directly blaming Tehran for the incident.
Counter terrorism police are continuing to investigate after petrol was recovered from vans found near RAF Fairford
Potential involvement by Iran was understood to be one line of inquiry for British investigators, and the nation has used proxies in the past to carry out acts in the UK.
However, Tehran ‘categorically’ denied any involvement in the alleged plot in Gloucestershire.
In a statement, its London embassy dismissed reports linking Tehran to the arrests as ‘unfounded and malicious speculations’.
The embassy added: ‘The circulation of such fabricated speculations, particularly in the aftermath of the criminal acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people, will serve no purpose other than to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the UK.
‘The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives.’
Rubio described the events near RAF Fairford as a ‘very serious situation’ and thanked British authorities for their response, saying they had been ‘very cooperative and very helpful’.
He added that ‘a lot of people are disturbed’ by the decision to grant bail to the five suspects.
Assistant Commissioner Taylor said the worries felt by people over a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford have been ‘heightened by the international commentary’.