LONDON — Recently, counterterrorism officers in the UK announced the arrest of four individuals linked to a recent intrusion at a military facility, which resulted in the defacement of two aircraft.
The statement from Counter Terrorism Policing South East revealed the arrest of two London men, aged 24 and 36, and a 29-year-old woman without a fixed address. They are accused of involvement in activities associated with terrorism, either by commissioning, preparing, or instigating them.
A 41-year-old woman, also without a permanent address, was detained for allegedly aiding a suspect.
The incident under investigation occurred at the Royal Air Force base in Brize Norton, where the intruders allegedly used red paint to damage two aircraft. The activist group, Palestine Action, claimed responsibility by sharing video evidence of one activist spraying paint into the engine of a jet.
The group has accused the UK of facilitating “military cargo, surveillance flights over Gaza, and refueling of U.S./Israeli fighter jets,” thereby implicating itself in “genocide and military offenses in the Middle East.”
In response, the UK government has announced plans to outlaw Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation. Such a ban would criminalize membership or support of the group, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Palestine Action is known for drawing attention through notable acts of civil disobedience. In March, the group targeted a golf resort owned by former U.S. President Donald Trump in Scotland, emblazoning “Gaza is Not For Sale” on its grounds, in protest of his proposal for the Gaza Strip.
The government intends to introduce a draft of the proscription order to Parliament for discussion next week. Approval from lawmakers is required to implement the ban.
To date, the UK has proscribed around 80 organizations under anti-terror laws, including groups such as Hamas, al-Qaida, and the far-right group National Action.
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