Three Vans, a Startled Farmer and an Iranian Plot Against the U.S.

From the New York Times, I'm Michael. Borrow. [music] This is a daily. [music]. today. The mysterious story of what. exactly just happened at an Air Force. base in rural England. Why it spooked. American military officials into. emergency action and what it may reveal. about Iran's ambition to attack the. United States much closer [music] to.

home. My colleague, Pentagon reporter Eric. Schmidt, tells us what he's learned. [music]. It's Wednesday, October 7th. >> Eric, welcome back to the show. Always a. pleasure to have you. >> Thank you very much. So, you have been. investigating what's been unfolding in.

and around an air base in rural England. that has somehow gotten our entire. national security apparatus on high. alert. So, where does that story start? >> Well, the story starts, Michael, in this. Bcolic village of Fairford, which is in. southern England. As you said, it's in. the Cotswwells. It's about 2hour drive. or so west of London. It's got a 15th. century church. It's got cattle and.

farms around. It's also right next to. this decades old British air base. >> Shortly after midnight on September. 27th, a farmer, a woman comes home after. a party and discovers there are three. white vans parked in front of her home. And she realizes that there are men. running away, masked men running away. from these vans. So she does, I guess, as any, you know, good British woman. would do, she calls the emergency.

services and said, "Something's going on. around here.". [music]. And within minutes, the police are. descending on this woman's home. There. are officers there. There are. helicopters roaring overhead. There's. the bomb squad that showed up with a. robot that's going to go through the. vans looking for explosives and weapons. and they round up and arrest these five. guys who end up on the side of the. street with a grainy photograph showing. their shirts off standing there seeming.

like they're the culprits. [music]. I mean, this seems on its face to be a. rather big and maybe disproportionate. response to a trio of vans [music] in. rural England. That's what I was. thinking as I'm I was actually on. vacation out at the beach when I'm. seeing all these this reporting come in. So, I start calling around to some of my. military, national security sources to. see if they've heard anything, if they.

know what's going on. >> And what I learn is that this is very. serious because this isn't just any air. base. The Fairford base is one that. American bombers have used for decades. and have been using most recently in the. Iran war to drop major bombs on targets. inside of Iran. And the concern I'm. hearing from my sources is that this. response, could it be some form of.

retaliation by Iran using proxies inside. of England to have an attack on American. troops and aircraft at a British base? M. it's like holy cow, you know, cuz I've. been covering this war now for, you. know, we're in the eighth month and. we've seen lots of attacks in the Gulf. region itself in the Middle East. But. for something to be tied to American. military personnel in England, this. staunch ally a couple thousand miles. away from Iran, this was quite dramatic. [music].

Well, what exactly are your sources. telling you is the nature of their fear? What do they know in the background? And. how does it relate to the men in masks. who are found in this van? What what are. you starting to try to put together. here? So they they take me back to July. when Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

Corps, which basically controls the. security services in that country, threatened to go after bases in England. basically because they're saying that. the England is helping participate in. the war against Iran. But these threats. were very general. They were not. specific about time or exactly where in. the base they might hit. But what these. sources of mine were telling me was that. two weeks or so before these vans showed.

up, American officials along with some. of their British counterparts got new. information that was much more specific. about the threat to the base itself and. who perhaps could be behind it. And. suddenly this created a much greater. sense of urgency that an attack might be. imminent. Around this same time, British. officials in the town had been warning. uh people to be aware of anything that. looked suspicious. And so there was this. sense that something was going on in.

this town uh even before this incident. with the vans took place. >> So there was a general message, if you. see something, say something. And this. woman returning to her farm very much. saw something, very much said something. >> That's right. And so that leads us to. the 27th where the police show up. obviously with all these helicopters, the bomb squad. They've lined these guys. up and they comb through these vans, but. they really don't find anything. It's. just just some jugs of gasoline. There's.

no explosives. There's no weapons or. anything. And suddenly everybody's like, "Well, what was this all about?". >> Kind of like what Iranian plot? >> That's right. What Iranian plot? And so. the next day the police released these. five men on bail and basically this it. raised the question well was this a big. nothing burger or is it also suggesting. that the evidence that they do have. about this plot not what they got from. the vans but surround the plot is so. classified they can't use it in a simple. criminal case.

>> Ah fascinating. >> So I go back to my sources and say well. what happened here? They just let these. guys go. >> And what did your sources say? Well, am. I what am I supposed to say? Well, don't. get too hung up on that. This was. probably just a diversion. These guys. were chumps. In the words of one of my. officials, they were just basically a. distraction for what might have happened. somewhere else on the base. That's one. theory. Another theory is that they were. on their way to link up with. Confederates who did have weapons, who. did have explosives, and were. intercepted before that could happen.

And as if this whole situation isn't. mysterious enough, we get new. information at the end of last week that. one of the five men from the vans who. was arrested actually called the police. before the police arrived. >> Wait, he he called the police on himself. >> apparently. And again, this is something. we're still trying to sort out. Was this. somebody who was deliberately calling. the cops to get everybody pulled over in.

one direction so that the other plotters. might, you know, attack the base from. another? Or was this a guy who thought. he, you know, was just out for some kind. of criminal job or something like that? Maybe he was going to steal gas and. realized he's he got in way over his. head and he wants out and he calls to. say, "Help.". >> Huh. But one possibility that it sounds. like you contemplate is perhaps this guy. is part of a group hired by Iranians. I. know I'm in the realm of speculation. And at some point he realizes he's part.

of something that he doesn't want to be. a part of. And he's like, "Get me the. heck out of here. I'm calling basically. the British equivalent 911 to shut this. down.". >> That's right. And then we're really left. with like, "Well, wait a minute. If this. was such a serious plot, why are the. plotters calling in ahead of time and. giving up? It's it doesn't make sense. But then the plot kind of thickens. There was a sixth man who was arrested. and he was a British Iranian citizen. >> So now, just as we thought, well, maybe.

this wasn't something despite what my. sources continue to tell me was quite. serious. Now, here's another instance. where at least the police are saying, you know, there's cause enough to arrest. this person. He too was released on. bail, however. And so we have suspects. piling up, but there's no clear. understanding of kind of where this is. going. But then late last week, British. Prime Minister Andy Burnham says that. there are strong indications that Iran. played a part. But the question is a. part of what we still don't know, you.

know, what what is this? Cuz he he's not. explaining what's going on. The police. aren't explaining. And my sources are. being very cy. They're saying this is. still live. There's there's still danger. out there. Uh-huh. So, what you have on. your hands at this point is a genuinely. confounding. and yet urgent mystery surrounding Iran. and a British base that has some of. America's most expensive and highowered.

military planes. >> That's right. And my sources are still. telling me, "Don't give up on this. Even. though these guys look like mopes on the. ground and you can't make sense of. what's happening here, [music] there's. something quite sinister behind all this. and you got to stay on it because the. authorities are on it as well. [music]. And then on Sunday, the United States. military does something so unusual, so. extraordinary, it underscores how. serious they consider this threat still.

to be. [music]. >> [music]. >> We'll be right back. So, Eric, explain what the US does that. conveys just how frightened it is about. the situation and why you come to.

understand they do it. So, the US has. about a dozen of these B1 bombers at the. Fairford Air Base. And these are bombers. that have been used in the war against. Iran. And they haven't been used on any. missions lately, but they've been flying. on training missions. And during the. whole course of this previous week, when. all these arrests are being made and. everything's going on, the bombers are. still flying. [music].

But suddenly on Sunday, >> breaking news from England, the urgent. withdrawal of American B1 bombers, >> they're moving out. >> This is a highly unusual move to. redeploy these kind of military assets. urgent. >> They're moving all these bombers back to. the United States as fast as they. possibly can. >> First of all, moving a dozen B1 bombers. further away from an ongoing conflict is. no small decision. So something must. have made them jittery. >> And I'm asking my sources, why? what's. happened? And he said, "We've gotten new.

intelligence that shows that threat that. we've been worried about all along has. become even more acute. And we are very. concerned that [music] the plot could. happen at any time. The attack of a base. could happen any time. And we have to. get these giant aircraft out of here as. soon as possible. [music]. But just to underscore how rush this is. and how abrupt this departure is, one of. my sources tells me that they don't even.

have the aerial refueling planes ready. for some of these bombers even as. they're starting to take off. It's just. like get them out of Fairford for now. and we'll figure out how to fuel them to. get back out over the Atlantic Ocean and. back to the United States. We'll figure. that out later. They don't even have a. plan to make sure they have enough fuel. to get back to the US. >> That's right. I mean, they're kind of. making up on the fly. The United States. Air Force just doesn't work like this. unless it's an absolute crisis or they. fear it could be a crisis. And again,

this is not the Middle East where you've. got Iran raining missiles and drones. down on your base. This is in England, more than 2,000 miles away from Iran. And uh yet the commanders felt strongly. enough and obviously defense secretary. Pete Hgsth who ultimately approved this. felt strongly enough that it's better. out of an abundance of caution to get. the planes out now than take the chance. that they could be struck by some kind. of Iranian operative. Well, talk about, Eric, what you learn in the aftermath of.

that original tip that these bombers. were going to be evacuated about what. specifically makes the US military so so. worried, so freaked out that it races to. yank these planes back to the US. So the. specific intelligence they got, very. sensitive intelligence that made them so. concerned was that somehow these Iranian. proxies, whoever they may be, were going. to get their hands on armed drones, launch them at the base and perhaps.

destroy or damage the aircraft and. possibly kill American personnel that. are at this base itself. And this, my. sources tell me, could be loosely. modeled on a plot that Ukraine carried. out last year against Russia where they. were able to smuggle drones in under the. guise of some trucks and then launch. them deep inside of Russia. Destroyed. over a dozen of these strategic bombers. inside of Russia. It was a huge. propaganda win for the Ukrainians and a.

real blow to Moscow. So if somehow these. Iranianbacked proxies could get their. hands on drones, and we know how easy it. is to get, you know, drones these days, arm them with some kind of munitions or. explosives and perhaps launch them just. where even this van was, just a/4 mile. away from the fence line at the base. This could cause tremendous damage, and. it would also be a huge win for the. Iranians. >> Well, I'm glad you mentioned the van. again, Eric, because that's my natural. question.

Does that theoretical threat that. somehow Iranian proxies or operatives. could get their hands on drones and. deploy them inside the United Kingdom at. these US planes? Does that in any way. connect back according to your sources. to these men in those vans? >> Well, not specifically those vans, Michael, but it could be other vans that. we haven't seen that. You know, that's. the concern. Again, remember if this was. a diversion, perhaps there were other. vans at a different part of the base. that were loaded with drones. I mean,

that didn't happen the other night, but. it could. That's the fear that prompted. the Air Force to do what they did. Well, all of this suggests that the. intelligence folks you're talking to. have a pretty high estimation of these. Iranian proxies and what they're capable. of. because I have been talking to you. about Iran for years now and we've never. reached the point where Iran was. anywhere near deploying drones in Europe.

of all places. That's right. But we've. seen from the very beginning of the Iran. War, basically they understood that when. Israel and the United States launched. the attack on Iran that the Iranians. were not going to be able to go. toe-to-toe, militarytoilitary with them. So what they did was a number of things. that as the military says use asymmetric. advantage. They attacked shipping in the. straight of Hormuse to inflict economic. pain. >> and did inflict tremendous economic.

pain. >> Exactly. And then they attacked civilian. infrastructure and oil facilities in. neighboring Gulf countries causing more. economic turmoil and political. disturbance there. They struck American. military bases, destroying hundreds of. millions, if not billions of dollars. worth of bases throughout the Gulf. And. then they most recently attacked a base. in Jordan, killing three service members. there. Right? >> So, they have been able to use what they. have left in their arsenal, be it drones.

or missiles, to inflict pain, not only. on the United States, but on the. international economic community. Well, according to my sources, this is just an. extension of that war, except now. they're taking it to a different level. They're basically moving their drones or. the drone technology they can get their. hands on to a base that's very much. participating in the war. And so when we. see this kind of a threat materialize, the American officials and those working. with them in Britain took this quite. seriously,

>> right? took it seriously as a. potentially entirely new and potentially. devastating chapter in Iran's so far. quite successful use of asymmetrical. attacks where they take kind of what. little they have and put it to rather. impactful use. >> That's right. Because Iran, among other. things, is very aware of the political. environment here in the United States. The Iran war is deeply unpopular. >> The Republicans are not doing well so. far in the midterm election campaigns. And for the Iranians, if they could.

inflict one more powerful blow, that is. inflict damage on an American aircraft, American personnel in England, that. would not only deal a huge blow to the. United States and perhaps to President. Trump, but it would also be a real coup. for Tehran. >> Mhm. And so far, of course, that has not. happened. But I think it's fair to say. that the Iranians have already done. something pretty significant here. They.

have forced the US to pull a dozen of. their most sophisticated bombers out of. the UK and rapidly return them home to. the US, which in and of itself does seem. like a symbolic blow. >> Absolutely. They have achieved one of. their major objectives. Now, the. Pentagon will tell you they can still. launch those planes from bases in. America, but it's a much more difficult. mission, a much lengthier mission all. the way back to Iran than it is striking.

targets from England. >> I'm curious, Eric, as a final question, what the British people and the British. government make of all of this? Does it. make them in any way question hosting US. military bombers that are involved in. this war? I mean, Britain is not. technically a co-combatant in this. conflict. British troops are not. involved. British planes are not. involved in attacking Iran, but Iran is.

saying that's how we now think of you. The people in the community around this. base are no doubt pretty spooked by all. this. I'm sure elected officials can't. be thrilled about it all. What is your. understanding of the viewpoint there? I. think there are still so many questions. swirling around this plot, Michael, that. I think the British people and certainly. the people in Fairfford are still. scratching their heads wondering what. exactly has happened or is still yet to. come. But to your point, countries in.

the Gulf region that have sponsored the. United States, hosted American bases for. decades, are asking this very question. now as they kind of dig out from the. rubble, not only of the bases that have. been attacked, but some of their cities. and some of their energy facilities and. say, "Look, part of the bargain here was. you've got to protect us from threats. like this." And I think they're coming. away now looking at the damage that's. been inflicted upon them and they're. asking, "Wow, was this really worth it?". and they're going to rethink that kind. of relationship going forward.

Obviously, if this were to happen on. British soil, I'm sure at least some. British residents would wonder the same. question. >> Is it worth it? >> Yeah. Is it worth it? Even though. there's a long storyried history of this. base going back uh to it opening just in. time for the D-Day invasion in 1944. and that American bombers B-52s, B1's, and B2s have have used this over the. years, but it's also been a source of. controversy. Early in the Iraq War in. 2003, there were protests at the base.

over the British governments allowing. the Pentagon to use Fairfoot for bombing. missions into Iraq. And [music] you know, were there to be. an attack at Fairford, it could lead to. a reconsideration by the British. government of just how much leeway it. gives to allowing the United States to. use its bases [music] for America's wars. in the Middle East. [music].

>> Well, Eric, thank you very much. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. [music]. We'll be right back. Here's what else you need to know. [music] today. On Tuesday, in an abrupt. reversal, White House officials said. that there were no plans for campaign. [music] groups to reimburse the federal. government for a series of unusual TV.

commercials [music] paid for by US. taxpayers that praised President Trump. and his presidency [music] ahead of the. midterm elections. The ads, which have. run on major TV stations, [music] have. cost taxpayers more than $10 million, could violate federal law and have. brought criticism from members of both. parties. That criticism prompted Trump. to say on Monday [music] that his super. PAC would repay the government for the. ads. But by Tuesday, it appeared that. the president had changed his mind.

Today's episode was produced by Alex. [music] Stern, Rashelle Banjo, and. Michael Simon Johnson. It was edited by. Patricia Willins, [music] contains music. by Marian Lozano, and was engineered by. Chris [music] Wood. Our theme music is. by Wonderly. That's it for the daily. I'm Michael. Bavaro. See you tomorrow.