Alleged bomb threat, five arrested on terror charges

Counterterrorism police are investigating whether people "working on behalf of a foreign state" were behind an alleged bomb threat against a U.K. base hosting the U.S. Air Force — as Iran denied speculation it was involved.

British police arrested five men on Sunday near RAF Fairford in the west of England on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offenses. They were released on bail on Monday.

Laurence Taylor, the head of counter-terrorism policing at London's Metropolitan Police, said at a press conference that officers were investigating whether the foiled attack was the work of "proxies or individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state."

RAF Fairford has been used as the U.S. Air Force's command outpost for operations from Europe and for American strikes on Iranian missile sites.