The government believes that Iran played a part in the RAF Fairford incident which resulted in five men being arrested and then bailed, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said.
“There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford,” he told the BBC. He did not provide further details.
Iran has responded, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying the UK leader was “barking up the wrong tree”.
“I can confirm Iran’s belief that releasing supposed terrorists working for foreign states really says it all,” he wrote on social media.
Asked why the suspects had been released on bail – a decision which has been openly questioned by President Donald Trump – Burnham insisted the men were subject to the “strictest possible bail conditions”.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said: “I will tell you, I would have said, ‘don’t let them have bail’. I’m surprised that they released them. I wouldn’t have done that.”
But Burnham said: “I think people need to understand that when it says released – that isn’t as people might think. It’s obviously with the strictest possible bail conditions.
“The authorities have this under the strongest grip and closest control, and I can assure you of that.”
Burnham’s comments come after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the incident at RAF Fairford “clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor”.
