US Air Force officers 'blindsided by plans to house migrants near British bases' critical in war with Iran

The Home Office is seeking to house migrants at the disused RAF Barnham base, stoking outrage among the village’s 600 residents.

Barnham residents have insisted their tiny community is unsuitable for the placement of more than 1000 migrants, with a US Air Force veteran among those raising concerns.

Barnham is just a half-hour drive from RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell, key airbases with longstanding links to the US military.

Mildenhall has been an integral part of US action over Iran, with USAF stratotankers used to refuel fighter jets and bombers midflight, housed at the base.

It also hosts some 4,000 American military personnel, many of whom are posted to Suffolk with their dependents.

Veteran Charles Day feared that there was insufficient vetting of migrants and therefore posed a risk to those critical US sites.

US Air Force officers were blindsided by the information that the British government is planning to house migrants near critical RAF bases used by America

PA

Speaking about some Iranian arrivals, Mr Day said: “Their slogan down there is ‘Death to America’, so they grow up on that. You have to take that into consideration. And to me, it’s a risk not to be taken.”

To that end, he called on Andy Burnham to brief Donald Trump on the plans.

“The President of the United States doesn’t run this country. Doesn’t want to. He loves this country, I’m sure, just like I do. But they need to have a serious discussion about this right here with all these troops,” he told Charlie Peters.

“I think Charles is absolutely right. I think this is certainly something that we've been talking about for a little while,” Mr Aalders said.

The Home Office is seeking to house 1,250 migrants at the disused RAF Barnham

PA

The Reform councillor then said serving American personnel on nearby bases had not been made aware of the migrant housing plans.

“I was at a Battle of Britain parade at the weekend, which was a fabulous event, and that was a mixed event with British servicemen and US Air Force personnel", he told GB News.

“I took the opportunity because I had had this sneaking feeling for a while, and nothing's been said, to have a chat with a couple of the American officers who were present, and neither of them knew about RAF Barnham.

“They had no idea about what was going on there. They had no idea what was planned for there.

'They were surprised, and I was deeply alarmed, that they hadn't known anything about RAF Barnham at all,' Reform councillor Simon Aalders revealed

GB NEWS

“They were surprised, and I was deeply alarmed, that they hadn't known anything about RAF Barnham at all."

He said the officers were “obviously quite concerned because we know and they know that the IRGC are very active.

“It’s been reported widely in the media that the IRGC have made a very clear statement that they're going to send operatives to the UK.

“Our own Foreign Secretary spoke to them yesterday. Spoke to the Iranian delegation or the Iranian Foreign Minister yesterday, talking about how Britain won't tolerate IRGC activities in the UK.

“At the same time, we've got boats appearing on the south coast that have been undetected and people fleeing into the countryside.

“So quite clearly there are some really significant risks."

In July, it was revealed that the Islamic Republic had been exploiting Britain's small boats crisis to send agents and operatives into the country.

British authorities are understood to have intercepted several Tehran-linked operatives attempting to enter the UK by small boat across the English Channel.

A Home Office spokesman told GB News: “This Government is working on a fairer distribution of asylum accommodation across the country, with £1bn saved in costs since the election.

“This includes closing all asylum hotels and moving to alternative accommodation, including former military sites.”