Five British men arrested near RAF Fairford over suspected terrorism and explosives offences have been released on bail, while counterterrorism investigators continue to examine what happened.
Five men arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire have been released on bail as British counterterrorism police continue investigating an incident involving three suspicious vans near the US-used military base.
The men, all British nationals in their 20s who live in London, were initially arrested under the Explosives Act and later detained on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
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The arrests followed a report early Sunday about suspicious vehicles travelling toward RAF Fairford. Police established a large cordon around the vehicles, while bomb-disposal specialists examined them and nearby residents were evacuated.
Police Investigating Multiple Possibilities
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, said the investigation remains ongoing and officers are considering a number of possible explanations.
One line of inquiry is whether proxies or individuals knowingly or unknowingly working on behalf of a foreign state could have been involved. Taylor stressed that this remains an investigative possibility rather than an established conclusion.
Counterterrorism police have also acknowledged the significant speculation surrounding the incident and questions about possible geopolitical connections.
The Iranian Embassy in London has rejected any suggestion that Iran was involved, describing claims linking Tehran to the incident as unfounded.
Farmer’s Emergency Call
The investigation began after a local resident contacted emergency services after reportedly seeing a group of hooded and masked men in the area.
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A local farmer said she became suspicious after encountering the group near the airbase and subsequently called 999. Her account has received attention as investigators try to establish what happened before the arrests.
Police have not said that the farmer’s actions definitively prevented an attack, and investigators are continuing to establish the full sequence of events.
RAF Fairford Security Operation
The incident prompted a major security response around RAF Fairford.
About 85 households in the nearby area were evacuated while an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team examined three vans inside a 400-metre cordon. Authorities later said the scene was safe and residents could return home.
RAF Fairford is a British-owned facility used by the US military and has been involved in American military operations in the Middle East, including operations connected to the conflict with Iran.
That connection has increased scrutiny of the investigation, although authorities have not publicly established who, if anyone, was behind the suspected plot.
Trump Says Suspects Had Been Under Investigation
US President Donald Trump said American and British authorities had been monitoring the suspects.
Trump said the men had been “under view for a long time” and claimed they were looking to cause significant damage to the base. His comments came as British investigators continued examining the circumstances surrounding the arrests.
The five men have not been charged, and their release on bail does not mean the investigation has ended.
Counterterrorism detectives say they are continuing to examine the evidence and different possible explanations for the incident.
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