Five men remain in custody after being arrested near RAF Fairford on suspicion of Explosives Act offences and of preparing a terrorist act. Counter-terrorism police lead the inquiry; bomb disposal teams are checking vehicles, and 85 households have been evacuated.
Police said they received a call at 00:45 BST on Sunday about three suspicious vehicles heading towards the base. The arrests were made near Whelford, about two miles south-east of RAF Fairford; vehicles are inside a 400m cordon. Police say they are still establishing the incident’s full nature, and the men have not been named.
Asked about possible Iranian involvement, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said it was too early to comment or speculate. RAF Fairford has served as a US Air Force forward operating location for decades and was used on 1 March for strikes on Iranian capabilities that the UK allowed as “defensive”.
