US President Donald Trump stated on Monday that he was “surprised” by the decision of British authorities to release five men on bail following their arrest on suspicion of plotting an attack on a UK airbase hosting American forces.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he would not have granted bail to the suspects. He emphasized that the United States had been working closely with British officials and believed it possessed comprehensive intelligence regarding the individuals.
“We know everything about them. We would not have released them,” Trump said.
The five men, described as London-based British citizens in their mid-20s, were detained early Sunday near the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford base in southwest England. The base has served as a launch point for US bombers conducting strikes against Iran since March of this year.
When asked if the alleged plot was connected to Iran, Trump replied, “It might be.” He declined to provide specific details, noting that while he knew the answer, he preferred not to disclose it. Iranian officials have denied any involvement in a plot targeting the airbase.
British counter-terrorism police announced on Monday that the suspects had been freed on bail while investigations continue. Officers are currently examining whether a “foreign state” may be involved in the case, which has been classified as a major incident.
Five men near a base launching strikes on Iran? The connection Trump hinted at feels pretty obvious to me.
Is it weird that the US president is commenting this aggressively on British domestic policing? Seems like overreach.
Bailing suspects is standard UK procedure. Trump seems confused by how our justice system actually works.