Less than a week on, the supposed attempt to attack RAF Fairford remains an incomplete puzzle, according to the Spanish outlet ABC España. Five people who were detained have since been released, and searches of three vans turned up no explosive device.
A sixth suspect is described as holding both British and Iranian nationality. The case also rests in part on a call to the police made by one of the arrested individuals themselves, ABC España reports.
RAF Fairford is a British base in Gloucestershire that is used by the United States, ABC España notes, adding that American bombers have operated from it during the war against Iran.
British news organizations from different editorial traditions have started raising their doubts in public. Sky News titled one analysis "Why the alleged RAF Fairford plot doesn't add up", while The Guardian asked "what we know, and what we don't know".