Counter-terrorism police in Britain are leading an investigation after five men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and preparation of a terrorist act near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a base that hosts the United States Air Force. Police said the men were detained after officers received a report of “three suspicious vehicles” travelling towards the base at about 00:45 BST on Sunday, September 27.
A major incident was declared, and an Army explosive ordnance disposal team used a robot to examine vehicles near the base. Eighty-five households in the nearby village of Whelford were evacuated to a leisure centre in Cirencester, about 10 miles away, and a Hazardous Area Response Team was deployed inside a security cordon at the base. Officials believe the incident is contained.
A government spokesperson said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was receiving regular updates and thanked emergency services “who have acted quickly to detain several suspects and put measures in place to keep the community safe.” Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said people “can be reassured” the incident was being dealt with. The US Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing said its personnel “remain vigilant” and that it would not discuss specific force protection measures.
Whelford resident Julian Tudsbury told the BBC that a neighbour had reported three “suspicious vans” in the village in the early hours, and that police knocked on his door at about 07:00 to tell him to evacuate. RAF Fairford has been used to deploy US bombers since the conflict with Iran began in February, after the British government allowed US forces to use UK bases for “defensive” operations against Iranian missile sites.
US President Donald Trump told reporters the suspects “were looking to do big damage to our fort,” adding: “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.” British police, however, said the operation was not intelligence-led and that investigators had no advance knowledge of a possible plot. Materials seized from the three vans are being examined to establish how dangerous they are and whether they could have been used in an attack.
British authorities are investigating a possible link to Iran as one line of inquiry, Sky News and the Associated Press reported, though no official has confirmed such a connection. Iran has previously said that bases used to attack its territory are legitimate targets, and British security officials say Iran-linked proxies have been behind a string of arson and sabotage attempts in the UK. The investigation is described as being at an early stage, and the suspects can be held for up to 14 days without charge under the Terrorism Act.
