US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire “clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor”, as British counter-terrorism police continue to investigate whether people acting for a foreign state could have been involved.
Rubio described the events near the airbase as a “very serious situation” during an appearance on Fox News, but did not identify the foreign actor he believed was involved or provide public evidence supporting the assertion.
His comments go further than the position publicly stated by British investigators, who say they are keeping an open mind and examining multiple lines of inquiry.
Rubio claims foreign actor was involved
Speaking after the arrests near RAF Fairford, Rubio said that what happened, almost happened or could have happened in the UK over the weekend was extremely serious and said it clearly involved a foreign actor.
He declined to provide further detail.
Rubio’s statement should therefore be treated as an assertion by the US Secretary of State rather than as a conclusion publicly established by the British investigation.
British police keeping an open mind
Counter Terrorism Policing has confirmed that investigators are considering whether the activity may have been committed by proxies or by individuals acting knowingly or unknowingly on behalf of a foreign state.
However, Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said investigators were keeping an open mind and considering the incident from every possible angle.
British police have not publicly attributed the incident to a particular foreign government.
Five men remain under investigation
Five British men in their 20s were arrested after reports of three vehicles travelling towards RAF Fairford in the early hours of Sunday.
They were arrested on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and preparation of a terrorist act contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act.
Following extensive interviews and enquiries, all five were released on police bail on Monday. Counter Terrorism Policing stressed that their release does not mean the investigation has ended.
The men remain under investigation and are subject to stringent conditions governing their movements and contact with others.
No public finding of Iranian involvement
US President Donald Trump has separately said the incident “might be” connected to Iran. That has not been established publicly by British investigators.
Iran has denied involvement in the incident.
Reports that investigators are examining possible Iranian involvement should not be presented as evidence that Iran directed or participated in the suspected activity unless and until investigators make such a finding.
Investigation continues
RAF Fairford is a British airbase used by United States forces. Significant police and military resources have been deployed during the investigation.
Counter Terrorism Policing said it was continuing to establish the full circumstances of the activity, the knowledge of those arrested and any motivation behind the incident.
The key new development is Rubio’s assertion that a foreign actor was involved. The official British position remains that possible foreign-state or proxy involvement is among the lines of inquiry being examined.