Five Arrested Near U.S.-Used Airbase in England
British police arrested five men near RAF Fairford on Sunday after receiving a report that three suspicious vans appeared to be heading toward the airbase. The men remain in custody on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Counterterrorism officers said the investigation was at an early stage and that they were working with other agencies to establish what happened.
Armed officers made the arrests in the early hours of Sunday. Police established a 400-metre cordon while a bomb disposal unit examined the vans, and nearby residents were evacuated. Officers said they believed the incident was contained, although an emergency-services presence would remain in the area.
RAF Fairford, in western England, is used by U.S. forces. The British government has authorized U.S. bombers based there to strike Iranian missile sites linked to attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump said British and American authorities had been investigating the suspects and claimed they had intended to cause significant damage. Police have not publicly identified the men or announced a motive. A source familiar with the investigation said authorities were examining several possibilities, including an Iranian link, Russian sabotage and an Islamist plot.
The British government said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being updated. He thanked police and armed forces personnel and acknowledged the concern the incident could cause residents. Gloucestershire police said the cordon was precautionary and that emergency responders had plans for incidents of this kind.
Reuters witnesses reported tighter security at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, two other bases used by U.S. forces in England. A U.S. Air Force spokesperson declined to discuss specific protective measures but said personnel regularly assess security needs. The arrests come amid heightened attention to the protection of military facilities. Authorities have not said whether the vans carried explosives or whether anyone beyond the five men in custody is being sought.