British counterterrorism police are investigating a suspected plot near RAF Fairford after explosives were discovered in three vans close to the military base, which has supported US operations in the Middle East.
Five men are being questioned on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act following a major security operation near RAF Fairford, a British airbase in Gloucestershire used extensively by the US military.
The investigation began early Sunday after a local woman reported suspicious activity involving three white vans near Whelford, a village close to the base. She told British media that she encountered several hooded and masked men near the vehicles while returning home and contacted police after some of them fled into nearby fields.
Armed officers were deployed to the area and detained five men. Explosives were later found inside the vehicles, prompting the deployment of military bomb disposal specialists and the involvement of counterterrorism police.
The suspects were initially detained over alleged offenses under Britain’s Explosives Act before being arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
Authorities established a security cordon of around 400 meters (440 yards) around the vehicles while specialists examined the scene, forcing the evacuation of approximately 85 nearby households. A bomb disposal robot was also used to inspect the vans as investigators worked to determine the nature of the explosives and what the group may have been planning.
Police later said the immediate threat had been contained, but the investigation remains active. The identities and nationalities of the suspects have not been released, and authorities have yet to establish publicly whether RAF Fairford was the intended target.
RAF Fairford’s role in US military operations
The location of the arrests has drawn particular attention because RAF Fairford is one of the most strategically important airbases available to US forces in Britain.
Located about 130 kilometers (80 miles) west of London, the Royal Air Force station supports US Air Force operations and can accommodate American long-range strategic bombers, including B-1 and B-2 aircraft.
The base has also been used in connection with US military operations against Iran, adding to speculation over whether the incident could be linked to tensions in the Middle East.
British officials have cautioned against drawing such conclusions. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said it would be irresponsible to speculate about possible Iranian involvement while counterterrorism officers were still investigating the suspects, their motives and any potential connections.
Questions over prior surveillance of suspects
Attention has also turned to whether security agencies were already monitoring the group before the police operation began.
US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been under surveillance for some time and claimed they had been preparing to cause significant damage. He praised cooperation between British and American authorities in connection with the arrests.
Streeting did not provide details about any surveillance operation but suggested there was more to the investigation than was publicly visible. Addressing questions about the role of the woman who first alerted police, he said she had only a “partial picture” of the broader security operation.
British authorities have not disclosed when the suspects first came to the attention of security services or whether officers were actively tracking them when the vans were reported.
Counterterrorism investigators are now trying to establish what the explosives were intended for, why the men were gathered near RAF Fairford and whether other people may have been involved.
The five men remain in custody as the investigation continues.
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