On Tuesday, uncertainty loomed over the British investigation into a plot to bomb an air base used by American forces, after police confirmed that no explosives were found in vehicles seized near the base. The anti-terrorism police said in the latest statement regarding the investigation into the plot to bomb the Fairford base of the Royal Air Force in southwest England: “We confirm that no improvised explosive devices were found, but a quantity of gasoline was seized,” according to Agence France-Presse. This comes after the British authorities' release on bail of 5 citizens who were arrested on suspicion of planning to target the Fairford base sparked sharp criticism from Washington.
On Sunday, three white minivans were found near the base, while the police arrested the five men, who are Britons in their mid-twenties, all residing in London. On Tuesday, armed police officers were seen patrolling the vicinity of the air base used by American planes to bomb targets in Iran.
Earlier, the police confirmed that its officers conducted an extensive examination of the vehicles with the help of military means and forensic experts, but it did not reveal the results of the examination directly. Before the police statement, The Times newspaper and other British media reported that the police had not found any traces of explosives. This eased fears that an attack might be thwarted, but left many questions unanswered. Patricia, 60, a resident of the nearby village of Kempsford, told Agence France-Presse: “It is very embarrassing that people around the world thought it was a terrorist attack, only for it to turn out in the end that this was not the case, and that it was just useless noise.”
On Monday, the head of the British police's anti-terrorism unit, Lawrence Taylor, announced the release of the five suspects, stressing that they "are definitely still under investigation." For its part, the Iranian embassy in London announced that it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” speculation about Tehran’s involvement in the case.
“Dangerous situation”
US President Donald Trump increased the mystery surrounding the case, as he expressed to reporters, on Monday, his “surprise” at the British police’s decision to release the five men, adding: “If I were in their place, I would not do that.” In response to a question about the possibility of Iran’s involvement, Trump said, “It is possible,” without adding further details. Hours later, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the incident as a “very dangerous situation.” He said on Fox News: “It is clear that a foreign party is involved” in the case, refusing to provide any additional details or clarifications. In March, Britain allowed the United States to use the Fairford base to carry out “specific defensive operations against Iran,” with the aim of destroying Iranian missiles at their launch sites. Since then, other American bombers and aircraft have been seen taking off and landing at the base, which is the only base on the British mainland used by American forces for this purpose. In July, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard warned that any base used to launch attacks on Iran would be considered a “legitimate target.”
The mystery surrounding the weekend incident has given rise to various unverified hypotheses, with some media outlets reporting allegations that the five men may have been fuel thieves. A resident of the neighboring village of Kempsford told Agence France-Presse, while she was working in her garden: “It is a bit strange that they are here in the middle of the night.” She added, requesting that her name not be revealed: “If they were really terrorists, the authorities would not have released them.”
Aerial footage of the three trucks that raised suspicions showed that they contained what appeared to be barrels, while at least one of them bore a fake logo and phone number, suggesting that it belonged to a real diesel fuel delivery company. In a statement published on its website, the company in question, Fuel2U, denied any connection to the vehicle or the people involved in the accident. She said, “The vehicle and the people involved have absolutely no relationship with the Fuel2U company,” confirming its cooperation with the police. London had previously accused Iran and Russia of using intermediaries to carry out criminal activities on British soil.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged today (Tuesday) to give Britain “a new social contract for the 21st century,” reform the country’s electoral system, and reset its relationship with its European neighbors, but he acknowledged that economic constraints make implementing his comprehensive plans a major political risk, according to the German News Agency.
The Associated Press quoted him as saying in a stern and frank speech before the annual conference of the center-left Labor Party: “Little things will not help us get through difficult times.”
He set out a crowd-pleasing vision of more social housing, better education and affordable care for the elderly, but warned that funding these changes would require cutting money from social care and pensions.
“I have given you what you say is often missing in politics: honesty, ideas and a clear direction for the country we all love,” Burnham said, anticipating opposition to his plans.
Some of Burnham's statements in his hour-long speech will spark major political battles. Burnham said he would stake his political legacy on creating a “national care service” to reform what he called a “broken” social care system. Like the hugely popular but cumbersome National Health Service, it would be free to use and paid for through taxes, he said.
To fund the welfare service, which would be introduced if Labor wins the next election, Burnham said he would ease the triple pension boost system, a costly policy that has long been eluded to change, ensuring that pensions are increased each year according to the highest proportion of the annual increase in consumer price inflation or average wage growth, or 2.5 per cent.
He said: “I realize that I may pay a political price for this, but someone must bear the responsibility of making difficult decisions quickly and decisively.”
