FAIRFORD, United Kingdom — British counterterrorism police released five men on bail Monday after they were arrested near RAF Fairford over suspected explosives offences and preparation of a terrorist act, while investigators continued examining whether the incident involved a foreign state.
The five men, all British nationals from London and aged between 23 and 25, were arrested early Sunday after police received a report of three vehicles traveling toward the airbase. Officers detained them in nearby Whelford, Gloucestershire.
Counter Terrorism Policing said the men remain under investigation and have been placed under stringent conditions governing their movement and contact with others. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, said the release on bail did not mean the investigation had ended.
Investigation continues around RAF Fairford
The incident began shortly after midnight Sunday when Gloucestershire Police received a report of suspicious vehicles near RAF Fairford. Armed officers responded and arrested the five men after stopping the three vehicles.
The vehicles were subjected to extensive examination involving counterterrorism investigators, forensic specialists and military assets. A cordon remained in place as investigators continued their work.
Police initially evacuated about 85 households in the surrounding area as a precaution while specialist teams assessed the scene. Authorities later worked to reduce the disruption and return residents to their homes.
The men were initially arrested on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and were later detained on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act. No charges had been announced when they were released on bail.
Police examine possible foreign-state involvement
Investigators have not publicly established who, if anyone, was behind the suspected plot or what motivated the five men.
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Taylor said counterterrorism police were keeping an open mind and considering whether the activity could have been carried out by proxies or individuals working knowingly or unknowingly on behalf of a foreign state. He said investigators were examining the incident from every possible angle.
That statement has fueled speculation about a possible Iranian connection because RAF Fairford has been used by U.S. military aircraft in operations against Iran. But British authorities have not publicly confirmed that Iran was responsible for the incident.
Iran’s embassy in London has categorically denied involvement in the arrests and rejected speculation linking Tehran to the case.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio separately said the incident clearly involved a foreign actor, but he did not identify the country or publicly provide evidence supporting that assessment. U.S. President Donald Trump also said the case might be linked to Iran. Those statements remain separate from the British investigation, which has not publicly established such a connection.
RAF Fairford’s role in U.S. operations
RAF Fairford is a British military installation used by the U.S. Air Force and has served as an operating location for American strategic bombers.
The base has been used during previous U.S. military operations in the Middle East and has become particularly significant this year because of U.S. operations involving Iran. The presence of U.S. bombers at the facility has made the site a focus of heightened security concerns.
The U.S. Air Force has declined to discuss specific force-protection measures at the base, saying security procedures are adjusted according to a range of factors. U.S. European Command has likewise said it would take appropriate measures to protect American personnel, civilians, contractors and their families.
Bail does not end the investigation
The decision to release the five suspects on police bail means investigators are continuing their inquiries without charging them at this stage.
Taylor emphasized that the men remain under investigation and that restrictions have been imposed on their movements and contacts. Police said the investigation involves multiple lines of inquiry and that substantial resources remain deployed around the scene.
The case therefore remains unresolved. The arrests, the suspected activity near the airbase and the investigation into possible foreign involvement have been publicly confirmed, but the suspects’ alleged objective, any foreign connection and the evidence supporting a potential terrorist plot have not yet been established.
Reporting Credit: Counter Terrorism Policing; Gloucestershire Police; UK government and Ministry of Defence statements where applicable.
