{"text":[[{"start":9.95,"text":"The US has withdrawn B-1 bombers stationed at the UK’s Fairford air base and brought them back to American soil, a US defence official confirmed on Sunday, following a suspected terrorist plot to target the British facility. "}],[{"start":23.1,"text":"“While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have redeployed to their home stations in the United States,” a US official said. "}],[{"start":38.6,"text":"The recall comes a week after a major security alert at Fairford when five British men in their twenties were arrested near the Gloucestershire base after police received reports of three suspicious vans and masked men in the early hours of September 27. "}],[{"start":56,"text":"In the incident last Sunday, it later emerged that one of the suspects had called the emergency services shortly before the arrests, while a separate call was made by a local farmer. The men were initially detained on suspicion of explosives offences and on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. "}],[{"start":72.9,"text":"Police subsequently said that searches of the vehicles found no improvised explosive devices, although a quantity of petrol was recovered. All five men were released on bail but remain under investigation. "}],[{"start":85.30000000000001,"text":"RAF Fairford is one of the US’s most important European air bases and has been used by US bombers to strike Iran. The New York Times reported on Sunday that US officials had information about a fresh threat involving an Iranian plot against the base."}],[{"start":101.95000000000002,"text":"Former British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer granted permission for the US to use British military bases, including the joint US-UK base of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands, for defensive purposes in March. "}],[{"start":116.10000000000002,"text":"London had at first been reluctant to allow Washington to use the bases to launch initial strikes against Tehran, and has tried to avoid wider involvement in the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. "}],[{"start":null,"text":"
"}],[{"start":128.95000000000002,"text":"American officials have insisted that the withdrawal of the bombers from the British base will not affect the US military’s ability to strike overseas targets. "}],[{"start":137.9,"text":"“The airmen that operate America’s bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s and B-52s, remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities — including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States — anywhere, anytime,” the US official said. "}],[{"start":156.35,"text":"British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, US President Donald Trump and US secretary of state Marco Rubio have all suggested that Iran played a role in the incident, while British counterterrorism police have said they are investigating a number of angles including possible foreign-state involvement. "}],[{"start":173.45,"text":"Iran has denied any involvement in the alleged plot. "}],[{"start":177.6,"text":"Some experts suggest the men may have been acting knowingly or unknowingly as proxies, though it was unclear what the purpose of any operation was."}],[{"start":187.2,"text":"The investigation widened last week when counterterrorism officers arrested a 25-year-old dual British-Iranian national on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. He was released on bail on Saturday."}],[{"start":208.95,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1791165436_8182.mp3"}