A woman from Whelford village in Gloucestershire has been praised as a hero after her 999 call and WhatsApp warning to neighbours led to the arrest of five men near RAF Fairford. The men were detained on suspicion of explosive and terrorism offences after armed police stopped the vans, with US President Donald Trump claiming they were looking to do "big damage" to the base.
Woman spots suspicious activity
The woman, who was driving home from a party, noticed three vehicles "blocking the road" and a "large group of hooded and balaclava'd men" gathering near the airbase at about 12.45am on Sunday (September 27). Believing the vans had been abandoned, she turned around only to see men in balaclavas dash into the trees and fields towards the base.
She accelerated away, called the police, and texted a local WhatsApp group to warn residents to lock their doors. Officers arrived on the scene around 15 minutes after she dialled 999.
Resident's account
Speaking to the Press Association, the woman said: "They would have seen the bright headlights. They probably thought we were the police (and) panicked." She added: "It would appear that by doing so I just derailed whatever they were planning."
In a separate interview with The Telegraph, she described the moment she realised the seriousness of the situation: "I just thought what the hell are they doing… I saw a group of Middle Eastern-looking young guys running off through the trees. Some of them had masks or balaclavas on, and they all scattered ahead of us as we drove back past."
She reflected on the potential danger: "Thinking about it now, and what could have happened if they had tried to stop me from driving away, I am quite lucky. It is pretty incredible, realising you had a brush with potential terrorists face to face and may have foiled a terrorist plot."
Official response
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the Government will "always take every step necessary" to protect the country, following the major incident outside RAF Fairford, and paid tribute to the police and armed forces.
US President Donald Trump praised the UK police response and suggested authorities already had the suspects under investigation. He told reporters in the US: "It was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job. We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort, and working with the British worked out great."
