British national arrested in connection with RAF Fairford incident

A 22-year-old British national has been arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts in connection with an incident close to RAF Fairford, counter-terror police said.

It is the seventh arrest in connection to the incident but no one has been charged.

Senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, Vicki Evans, said it "remains a live investigation" and police are continuing to "pursue multiple lines of enquiry".

The men, aged between 23 and 25, were detained in the early hours of the morning after vehicles were reported to be travelling towards the base.

A sixth man, a 25-year-old dual Iranian-British national, was arrested on 1 October in Westminster and was also later released on bail.

In recent months, the US has flown B-1 and B-52 bombers from the base to the Middle East, after the UK approved a request for Fairford to be used for defensive strikes against Iran.

US President Donald Trump said the aircraft were removed due to "some threats" to the base without giving specific details.

He replied: "Yeah I think we can say that. They didn't fly out by accident.

"But why should we leave them there? So we moved them around a little bit. Not very far."

The comments came after US media reports suggested the decision was made after intelligence suggested Iran was plotting a drone attack. The BBC has not verified those reports.

The spokesperson added the US remains at the "highest state of readiness" and would take "appropriate actions to protect our people, our platforms, and the bases where our forces operate".

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