Five men arrested over a suspected terror plot near a US-operated RAF base are British nationals in their 20s who come from London, police said.
The men were arrested in Whelford, Gloucestershire, in the early hours of Sunday. They were initially detained on suspicion of explosives offences before being arrested again on suspicion of terrorism.
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A woman in the village called 999 after seeing three vans and a group of masked men close to the base. Bomb disposal teams were sent in, while dozens of nearby homes were evacuated.
Counter-terrorism officers are examining whether the alleged plot may be connected to Iran, which has previously been accused of using proxies to carry out criminal activity on British soil.
A plane at RAF Fairford after the major incident was declared
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said the response was a “hugely complex and large-scale operation” involving local and national police, the Ministry of Defence and other agencies.
“I know this has been incredibly disruptive for local people, but I’d like to reassure them that our activity is in the interest of national security, but most importantly in the interest of their own safety,” she said.
She also praised the emergency services, including the armed officers who arrived first without knowing what they might encounter.
“I am very aware of the levels of speculation about the motivation behind this incident, and the geopolitical questions that are being raised,” Ms Evans said. “However, I ask that at this time, Counter Terrorism Policing are given the space to work carefully and clearly.”
The five suspects are being held under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (Pace), and officers were granted an initial extension to keep them in custody later today.
They include a 24-year-old from Camden, north London, and three men aged 23, 24 and 25 from Westminster. The fifth suspect is a 24-year-old from Willesden, north-west London.
A police cordon remains around Whelford and will be reviewed later today, Counter Terrorism Policing said.
Iran denies involvement
Iran’s embassy in the UK said the country “categorically rejects” any involvement in the suspected bomb plot near RAF Fairford.
It condemned what it called “unfounded and malicious speculations” linking Tehran to the arrests near the Gloucestershire base.
In a statement issued this afternoon, the embassy said it “reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures” in response to what it described as “misleading” narratives.
“The embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base.
“The circulation of such fabricated speculations, particularly in the aftermath of the criminal acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people, will serve no purpose other than to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the UK.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives.”
‘Astonishing’
The Whelford resident who raised the alarm said she first noticed vehicles “blocking the road” before seeing a “large group of hooded and ‘balaclava’d’ men”.
She said the group would have seen the vans’ “bright headlights” and may have assumed the approaching vehicle belonged to police, causing them to panic.
“It would appear that by doing so I just derailed whatever they were planning,” she told PA.
“I think it’s absolutely astonishing.”
Police arrived about 15 minutes after she made the call, she said.
At the time, residents believed the base had been placed on lockdown because of a “terror threat”, she added.
“A plucky amateur shouldn’t be spotting an unusual bit of activity at 1am when the air base is on high alert,” she said.
A pensioner who lives nearby also reported heightened security around Fairford in recent weeks, including heavy tractor-like vehicles parked near the base and concrete walls built behind the gates.
Gloucestershire Constabulary said it received reports at about 12.45am on Sunday that suspicious vehicles were travelling towards the base.
The men were arrested under the Explosives Act and later detained on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism.
Armed police manning a cordon near the village of Whelford
People detained under the Terrorism Act 2000 can be held for up to 14 days without charge, compared with the usual 24-hour limit for standard arrests unless officers apply for an extension.
Aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot examining three white vans for several hours. Two of the vehicles had their rear doors open, while large black barrels appeared to be scattered nearby.
Police established a 400-metre cordon, forcing 85 households to leave their homes overnight. Cotswold District Council was arranging accommodation for some residents.
The Army’s ordnance disposal unit was still examining the vehicles inside the cordon by the evening, Temporary Chief Constable Maggie Blyth of Bedfordshire Constabulary told a press conference.
Agencies “believe the matter to be contained”, she later said.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the incident as “deeply concerning” and said the Government would “always take every step necessary” to protect the public.
Investigators will analyse any devices recovered from the suspects as they seek to establish the nature of the alleged plot and its possible motive.
The arrests came amid growing concern about threats posed to the UK by hostile states. Russia and Iran are among the countries accused of using proxies to carry out criminal acts on British soil.
In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving hostile-state activity, including activity linked to Iran, had risen by 50% in the six months to December 2025.
That month, after then prime minister Keir Starmer authorised “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases, four American bombers arrived at RAF Fairford. The US then began using British bases for “specific defensive operations”.
Separately, a series of antisemitic attacks targeting Jewish sites in London this year was claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, also known as the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (Hayi), which is believed to have Iranian backing.
A military vehicle at RAF Fairford
Mr Starmer banned support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hayi in July.
Under state-threat powers, anyone who supports or assists either group could face a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison, although ministers must first secure parliamentary approval.
The incident at Fairford also unfolded against the backdrop of an ongoing war between the US and Iran.
RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk confirmed that it was on Charlie alert, the second-highest threat level that can be issued by the US Department of Defence.
The confirmation to PA followed reports that RAF Fairford had been placed on the highest threat level, Delta.
At a fringe event during the Labour Party conference, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting was asked whether Iran had been involved in the suspected plot.
He replied: “I’m not going to comment on the underlying motivations of those who’ve been arrested today, or indeed the, sort of, the genesis of their activity, I think it’s far too early to comment or speculate, and it would be irresponsible of me to do so.”
A US Air Force spokesperson said personnel at RAF Fairford “remain vigilant”, but added that “for operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures”.
The spokesperson said the 501st Combat Support Wing and its UK counterparts “will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, civilians, contractors, and their families”.
The 501st is “the only combat support wing in the USAF” and operates from 10 bases, including Fairford, according to its website.
Mr Trump praised the UK response and indicated that British authorities had already been monitoring the suspects, despite claims to the contrary.
Referring to RAF Fairford, which hosts US Air Force heavy bombers, as a “fort”, the American term for a military site, he told reporters in the US: “They were looking to do big damage to our fort, and working with the British worked out great.”
He added: “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them. Thank you.”
