US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States relocated its bombers from RAF Fairford due to "some threats" to the base. The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that approximately a dozen B-1 bombers were moved back to their home stations in America.
Context
Speaking to reporters as he departed for Nebraska on Monday, Trump stated that the US was aware of a "threat" that prompted the relocation of the bombers. Earlier, a spokesperson from No 10 had assured that RAF Fairford was safe, referencing Trump's previous remarks praising the capabilities of "our police, defence and security services" regarding the base.
Developments
Trump's comments seem to corroborate reports from US media indicating that a new threat led to the bombers' removal, following a significant incident on September 27 when police were alerted to three "suspicious vehicles" near the airbase.
When asked if there was a "specific threat" that caused the US to withdraw its bombers, Trump responded:
“"Yeah I think we can say that. They didn't fly out by accident. There were some threats. And rather than tempting the enemy, we'll capture the enemy and beat the enemy. But why should we leave them there? So we moved them around a little bit. Not very far."
He also mentioned that Washington "actually knows the people that made the threat," but did not disclose their identities.
Investigation Details
RAF Fairford, located in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, is currently under investigation by counter-terror police. Initially, five men were arrested on suspicion of terror offences but were later released on bail. A sixth individual, a UK-Iranian national, was also arrested and subsequently released.
