1 week ago
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A pro-Palestinian radical has targeted an RAF basal and damaged 2 subject craft successful what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) branded an enactment of "vandalism".
Palestine Action posted connected X to accidental it had breached into RAF Brize Norton successful Oxfordshire.
In a video shared online, a idiosyncratic tin beryllium seen approaching an craft connected a scooter arsenic euphony is played. Red overgarment tin beryllium seen connected the ground.
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The MoD said: "We powerfully condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets. We are moving intimately with the constabulary who are investigating.
"Our Armed Forces correspond the precise champion of Britain. They enactment their lives connected the enactment for us, and their show of duty, dedication and selfless idiosyncratic sacrifice are an inspiration to america all. It is our work to enactment those who support us."
In a statement, Palestine Action - which focuses its campaigns connected multinational arms dealers and has antecedently targeted firm banks - said it had damaged 2 subject planes astatine the RAF base, wherever flights depart connected a regular ground for RAF Akrotiri successful Cyprus.
The UK has 2 subject bases connected the land of Cyprus, a bequest of its erstwhile presumption arsenic a British colony.
When it gained independency from Britain successful 1960, it was agreed that Britain would support 2 "sovereign basal areas" astatine Akrotiri successful the southbound westbound and Dhekelia successful the southbound east.
Aircraft based astatine Akrotiri see RAF Typhoons, which were used past twelvemonth successful strikes connected Houthi rebels successful Yemen, arsenic good arsenic Puma helicopters.
The radical said 2 activists "broke into the largest aerial unit basal successful Britain and utilized electrical scooters to swiftly manoeuvre towards the planes".
They said repurposed occurrence extinguishers were utilized to spray reddish overgarment into the turbine engines of 2 Airbus Voyagers, portion further harm was made utilizing crowbars.
"Red paint, symbolising Palestinian bloodshed was besides sprayed crossed the runway and a Palestine emblem was near connected the scene," the connection added.
"Both activists managed to evade information and arrest."
Work is underway to measure whether immoderate harm has been caused, it is understood.
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No operations oregon planned movements are thought to person been affected.
A elder RAF root told Sky News: "The claims made by the radical who broke into RAF Brize Norton amusement a implicit deficiency of knowing of however the RAF operates and what these craft do.
"The UK is not supporting Israeli operations and these craft person not been utilized successful enactment of Israeli forces successful immoderate signifier oregon form."
Ben Obese-Jecty, a Liberal Democrat MP and erstwhile service officer, said the breach astatine Brize Norton was "absolutely staggering".
"Given the existent heightened planetary tensions, the summation successful enactment and the caller exploitation of the vulnerability of Russian airbases by Ukraine, it is unthinkable that our busiest RAF basal could beryllium compromised."
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