Another arrest in Oxfordshire terrorism probe after RAF aircraft damaged

Yahoo

4 days ago

Another arrest has been made as part of a terrorism investigation after aircraft were damaged at an Oxfordshire RAF base.
A 22-year-old man, of no fixed address, has been arrested in Bedford on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, contrary to Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
It follows an incident in the early hours of June 20, in which damage was caused to two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton.
Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing South East made the arrest on Friday (August 1) with help from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit.
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The man is currently in police custody.
Four people were charged last month in connection with the incident and face a 2027 trial.
Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22, are charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage.
It was previously alleged that the incident was linked to the Palestine Action group.
On July 18, the defendants appeared at the Old Bailey for a hearing to set a timetable for the case amid heightened security outside the central London court.
The two female defendants appeared by video-link from HMP Bronzefield with the two male defendants attending in person.
The defendants spoke only to confirm their identities in front of a packed public gallery.
Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay KC said the case related to 'criminal damage to two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in the early hours of June 20 which caused extensive damage to the aircraft.'
He said the case was being heard in the terrorism list before Mrs Justice Cheema- Grubb, 'the prosecution submission being this case has a terrorist connection#.
Mr Polnay said a provisional trial fixture of six to eight weeks had been identified from January 18, 2027.
He accepted that was 'obviously a considerable distance away' and there was uncertainty at this stage how long any trial would take.
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He added the length of the trial would depend on whether the defendants accepted being involved in the 'physical acts undoubtedly taken'.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said the 2027 trial date meant an 'inordinately long time' for the four young people to wait in custody.
She said: 'The sooner the real issues in this case are identified the better for everyone, particularly in fixing the trial date.'
The senior judge confirmed the 2027 trial date at the Old Bailey but said she would review it at a plea hearing on January 16 next year.
Gardiner-Gibson and Jony Cink, both of no fixed address, Jeronymides-Norie, of Barnet, north London and Chiaramello, of Brent, north London, were remanded into custody.