Marco Rubio states that the attempted plot near Fairford base bears the hallmarks of a foreign actor

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the attempted plot thwarted near Fairford Air Base in southwest England bears “the distinctive hallmarks of a foreign actor.” The incident, reported on Sunday and investigated by British authorities, is considered a “very serious” situation by the U.S. official.

British police detained five men, all British nationals, who live in London and are around 20 years old. They were identified after a local farmer alerted the authorities. The suspects were subsequently released on bail pending further investigations.

Rubio suggested that additional information regarding the involvement of a foreign state could be made public in the coming days. He praised the cooperation between British and U.S. authorities, who communicated both during the detentions and after the suspects’ release.

Fairford Base is used by the United States for military operations and also hosts American bombers. Rubio placed the incident in the context of threats issued by Iran against U.S. interests abroad. Tehran denied any involvement, although the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had previously warned about the base’s use by the American military.