British police were questioning five men on Monday over suspected explosives offences and the preparation of a terrorist act after they were detained near RAF Fairford, an airbase used by the United States for operations against Iran.
Armed officers arrested the men early Sunday after police received a report about three suspicious vans travelling towards the military airfield in Gloucestershire. Counter Terrorism Policing said the five suspects remained in custody as investigators worked to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A 400-metre cordon was established around the vehicles while Army bomb disposal specialists examined the vans. Residents from about 85 homes in nearby Whelford were evacuated during the operation.
US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been looking to cause “big damage” and claimed British and US authorities had been monitoring them. British officials have not publicly confirmed the extent of any prior surveillance.
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British authorities have also not publicly identified the suspects or confirmed a motive. A source familiar with the investigation told Reuters that an Iranian-linked motive was considered the most likely possibility, while Russian sabotage and an Islamist plot were also being examined.
Defence Minister Wes Streeting said he would not speculate about the motive while the investigation was ongoing. He did, however, refer to what he described as a broader threat from Iran and its proxies.
A local resident who alerted police said she had seen hooded and masked men near the vans and called emergency services. Officials later thanked the woman for reporting the suspicious activity.
RAF Fairford has been used by the US military during its operations against Iran. The base hosts the US Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and has served as a staging point for long-range military operations.
The incident has prompted heightened security around the base and at other US military facilities in Britain. Police said the situation had been contained, while counterterrorism officers continued working with other agencies to establish what happened.
The arrests also come against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Britain and Iran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard had previously warned that British bases used to support US military action against Iran could become legitimate targets, according to reporting on the earlier warnings.
No charges had been publicly announced against the five men as of Monday, and investigators had not confirmed whether the incident was connected to Iran or any other foreign state.
