Trump reacts to five males bailed in suspected RAF terror plot – ‘would not have completed that’
US President Donald Trump has said he is “surprised” five suspects were released on bail over the suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford, used by the US air force, and he would not have done so
Donald Trump has said he is “surprised” in his reaction to the news that the five men suspected of a terror plot near RAF Fairford have been released on bail.
Police are considering “every possible angle” including the use of proxies by a hostile state after five suspects were released on bail over the suspected terror plot.
Five British nationals were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism on Sunday (September 27) after three suspicious vans were found near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, which is used by the US.
It is understood that the material found was not viable explosives, but police have stressed that the investigation is continuing.
Donald Trump has broken his silence on the five suspects being bailed (Image: Pool/ABACA/Shutterstock)
Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said the alleged plot “might be” linked to Iran, and added: “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.”
He then repeated his praise of the UK police, saying: “They worked with us very closely. We know everything about them (the suspects). We would not have released them.”
Iran, and other hostile states including Russia, has been known to use criminal proxies to carry out crimes on its behalf on UK soil.
An alleged photo of the five men who were reportedly arrested
Its London embassy earlier said it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations” of Iranian involvement.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, speaking at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, said “The police and the security services have done everything that they could and should have been doing rapidly to help contain this situation”.
He said: “We’re acutely aware that the events at RAF Fairford have caused considerable disruption to the local community and also wider public concern.
Armed police maintained road blocks and security checks around RAF Fairford(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
“What we can say at this stage is that the response of our policing, counter-terrorism policing and security services has been exemplary. The investigation remains ongoing.”
Mr Streeting added: “Those investigations remain live and I can reassure the public who will be interested and want further information of two things: the first is that those five individuals are under stringent bail conditions and, secondly, that we remain with a live investigation and keeping the situation constantly under review.”
