Five men arrested near RAF Fairford on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act have been released on bail as police continue their investigation into the incident. The drama centred on the Gloucestershire base involved a police swoop, civilian evacuation and bomb squad callout, but what appeared to carry all the hallmarks of a terror-related incident remains shrouded in mystery.
Farmer alerts police after spotting vans
A farmer, in her 50s, claimed to have alerted police after spotting vehicles parked "in a strange formation" near the base used by US forces in the early hours of Sunday. Police swooped on three vans and arrested the five men in the nearby village of Whelford - they were later identified as British nationals, all of whom were in their 20s and from London.
The farmer who claimed to have seen the three parked vans had been travelling home with her husband and one of their employees when she saw the vehicles in a "really strange formation." She claimed to have seen up to 10 masked people at the base and revealed how she noticed the parked vehicles.
She said: "You couldn't drive between them on the road, and you also couldn't drive up the farm drive, and I think this has been one of the funny things that people are saying: 'How could you notice?' But when you live in Whelford, you notice everything. We all know what cars each other drive, we know who we are, we know the people that cycle through regularly."
The farmer, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed to have tried calling the Ministry of Defence, but that the phone "just rang and rang, and no one answered." The farmer then called 101 and 999 at 1:36am before messaging the village WhatsApp group to warn of unusual activity.
Five arrested in police swoop
Around 85 homes were evacuated and a 400-metre cordon was placed around the village as bomb squads carried out searches on the three vans found close to the site. Following their arrest on explosive offences, they were later held on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
Counter terrorism police later announced five men had been arrested on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act. They were further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. An image showing five men sitting on the ground while surrounded by police started circulating online following announcement of the arrests.
The US military said it was "working closely" with its British counterparts to monitor the situation and ensure personnel, families and the local community were protected. Gloucestershire assistant chief constable Richard Ocone previously said a report relating to "three suspicious vehicles" travelling toward the base, used by the US military in its bombing campaign in Iran, had been received at 12:45am.
Homes evacuated and residents supported
More than 80 homes were evacuated in the Cotswold village of Welford early on Sunday morning. The residents were directed to Cirencester Leisure Centre by the Cotswold District Council.
"We've supported a number of people overnight and provided them with hotel accommodation," Councillor Claire Locke said on Monday, according to the BBC. "Today we are making sure that we have contingency plans in place that people can access a hotel room for tonight if needed."
Explosive teams carried out searches of the vans and surrounding area after arriving on the scene. A large cordon remains in place after police stated they had found suspicious materials and items, though they were later said to be not viable explosives.
Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor, shared an update on Monday, adding: "We still have significant resources deployed at the scene, and a cordon remains in place whilst investigators continue their work. However, we are hopeful to reduce this later today and get residents back to their homes. We will provide further updates on this in due course."
Political reactions and unanswered questions
Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired a Cobra meeting on Monday afternoon before urging people "not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts." In a post shared on X/Twitter, he thanked police, counter terrorism policing and the armed forces.
"I am especially grateful to those residents who have been asked to leave their homes while precautionary checks are carried out. 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."
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said on Monday the farmer who reported the suspicious activity near the base only had a "partial picture." He thanked the woman before praising police and security services during an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. He declined to give any details about prior information about the suspected plot or the identities of the men who were arrested.
Donald Trump initially hailed the arrest as "fantastic," telling reporters the operation was "an amazing job." The US President added: "We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort and working with the British worked out great... We had them under view for a long time, and we got them."
But when it was revealed the five men had been released on bail, Trump voiced concerns about the process. Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump urged authorities not to release the suspects on bail. He told reporters: "I will tell you, I would have said, 'don't let them have bail.' I'm surprised that they released them. I wouldn't have done that."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the arrests represented a serious situation. During a Fox News interview, Rubio said a foreign organisation or government could be behind the incident though he provided no evidence for his claim. "It's one that clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor," he said. "I won't get into great detail about that yet. I think it ties us to the reality here, and that is we are dealing with elements in the world, and in the case of Iran, for example, who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally."
While US and UK authorities continue to investigate the circumstances around the arrests, there are several questions that remain unanswered. Speculation remains as to any motivation behind the group's behaviour due to RAF Fairford being used by American forces who are engaged in a war in Iran. Iran has been accused of being behind attacks on Jewish businesses and religious sites in Europe amid the joint US-Israeli bombing campaigns on the Middle Eastern country. But the Iranian Embassy in London announced it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns recent unfounded and malicious speculations" of its involvement.
European leaders, such as France's Emmanuel Macron, have also warned in recent weeks about possible acts of sabotage being ordered by Moscow amid support for Ukraine in its war against Russia coming from multiple governments, including the UK. A key question is about whether British authorities were prepared for an attack at the base. There are also questions about whether the five men had been under surveillance amid suggestions the arrests occurred only when a resident reported the vans to police. The identities of the five men have also not been disclosed at this time.
