[UPDATE] Trump says threats drove all 12 B-1 bombers out of a UK base, hours after Rubio called it a routine rotation
U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal the threat was an Iranian plot to hit the jets with drones and kill American pilots.
The pull-out. Donald Trump said Monday, Oct. 5, that the U.S. pulled all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford, a British airfield the U.S. Air Force uses for bombers, because of threats, and that Washington knows who made them. "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." — Donald Trump Rubio's account. Hours earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the move a routine rotation and said he "wouldn't directly tie" it to the suspected plot. Congress. Mark Warner (Sen-D Virginia), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, says senators were never briefed on the move. Still open. All six people arrested in the case are out on bail. Neither government has publicly confirmed the Iranian drone plot that U.S. officials described to The Wall Street Journal.
PREVIOUSLY
- Sun., Sept. 27 — British counterterrorism police arrested five UK men with three vans in Whelford, about 2 miles from the RAF Fairford runway.
- Wed., Sept. 30 — Police said the vans held petrol, not explosives, freed the five on bail, and complained that U.S. commentary was stoking fear.
- Thu., Oct. 1 — Police arrested a sixth suspect, a 27-year-old British-Iranian, in Westminster on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.
- Sat., Oct. 3 — He was released on bail too, leaving all six suspects free.
- Sun., Oct. 4 — The Pentagon flew every deployed B-1 home without giving a reason; one U.S. official cited an Iranian threat to the base.