Britain · updated 2h ago · 2 min read
British Police Arrest Five Men Near RAF Fairford Over Suspected Terrorist Plot
Five men arrested near RAF Fairford on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences. Dozens of nearby homes evacuated during a major incident near the base.
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Arrests Near RAF Fairford
British police arrested five men near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after officers responded to reports of three suspicious vehicles heading toward the base, and counterterrorism police said the men were suspects in preparing a terrorist act.
Gloucestershire Police assistant chief constable Richard Ocone said, "A cordon is in place as a precaution and the public can expect to see an emergency services presence in the area for some time."
U.S. President Donald Trump said the suspects were "looking to do big damage" at RAF Fairford, and he added, "We had them under investigation."
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said in a statement, "The safety and security of the public is our first priority, and I want people to know that we will always take every step necessary to protect our communities and keep our country safe," as explosive ordnance disposal technicians examined the scene.
Evacuations and Investigation
Gloucestershire Police said 85 homes in the nearby village of Whelford were evacuated, and the operation involved a 400m cordon around the vehicles as bomb disposal teams examined three white vans.
Counter Terrorism Policing senior national co-ordinator Vicki Evans said, "We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody," while police said the arrests followed a call about three suspicious vehicles.
Investigators were examining materials found in the vans, with an initial view being they were consistent with improvised explosive devices, and the 400m cordon was placed around the white vans as robots from the army's bomb squad examined them.
A neighbor told the BBC, "Everything happened very quickly. We simply gathered our things and came here," after police knocked on doors to evacuate residents.
Threat, Motive, and Fallout
British authorities said the UK government was still investigating the incident, and counterterrorism officials said, "We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody," as the threat level at the base was raised before the arrests. The suspected plot appears to have been foiled by chance when a member of the public spotted unusual behaviour late at night and called 999, and tests were ongoing to find out whether the suspected explosive devices were viable.
The war between the US and Iran limps on, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warning said, "any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for our forces." Trump told reporters the arrests were "fantastic" and said, "Working with Britain, it was an amazing job," while the investigation continued into whether Iran was behind the suspected bomb plot.