Five held near RAF Fairford as UK probes suspected terror plot
Police in Britain were holding five men on Monday and examining suspected explosives found near RAF Fairford, a UK-owned air base operated by the US Air Force, as counterterror detectives investigated whether the arrests had foiled an attempted attack with a possible link to Iran.
The men were detained early on Sunday after three vans were seen near the base. They were first held over suspected explosives offences and were later also arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. Police can hold them for up to 14 days before they must be charged or released.
President Donald Trump said the suspects had been detained after cooperation between the US and Britain and had been "under view" for some time. Police, however, said the arrests followed a late-night call about "suspicious vehicles" near the base. British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting did not give details of the operation, but said "it was a proud moment" that Trump had recognised "the work that our police and intelligence services do every day". "As and when we can, we will report back to the public about these individuals and about the nature of the threat," Streeting told Times Radio.
Investigators have not concluded whether the incident was a state-backed attack, but they are examining a possible Iran link. The arrests come at a time of heightened concern about hostile states, with British intelligence agencies saying Russia and Iran have both used proxies to carry out crimes on British soil. In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states, including Iran, rose by 50 per cent in the six months to December 2025.
Britain did not join the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28 and initially refused Trump's request to use bases in the UK to strike Iran. But then Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed in March to allow the US to use bases in Britain for what he called "defensive" operations against Iran's missiles and their launch sites after Iranian attacks on UK interests and Britain's allies in the Gulf. American B-1 and B-52 bombers have taken off from Fairford, about 160 kilometres west of London, for operations during the Iran conflict. Iran has said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target. British security officials have also said proxies linked to Iran were behind a series of arson and sabotage attempts in the UK and other countries, many targeting the Jewish community, and had warned that Tehran could widen its targets in the UK if conflicts in the Middle East continued.
Residents were evacuated from 85 homes in the village of Whelford near the base on Sunday as army bomb disposal experts used a robot to inspect the three white vans. As of Monday morning, residents had not been allowed to return home and the vans had not been moved. The US Air Force said its personnel at RAF Fairford "remain vigilant", but added that "for operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures". The US embassy in London has advised Americans in Britain to remain cautious and mindful of their personal security. Trump said authorities had the suspects "under view for a long time and we got them" and added, "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."
The five men remained in custody on Monday as officers continued to examine the suspected explosives and investigate the nature of the threat, including any possible Iran link, while residents near the base were still waiting to return to their homes.
