Five British men bailed after arrest near RAF Fairford amid Iran terror probe
Five young British men arrested near a US-operated air base in England have been released on bail. Counterterror police are investigating possible links to Iran, Russia, or non-state militant groups.
Terror suspects bailed after RAF Fairford arrests as Iran link probed
Five young British men arrested on explosives and terror charges near RAF Fairford in England were released on bail on Monday, pbs.org reports, as counterterror detectives said they were pursuing "multiple lines of inquiry" — including a possible link to Iran.
The men were detained in the early hours of Sunday after three vans were spotted in the vicinity of the Gloucestershire base, a UK-owned facility that has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East. They were initially held over suspected explosives offences before being additionally arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism.
Police confirmed that all five are British nationals from London and in their 20s. Their names have not been released.
Laurence Taylor, head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, said the suspects were subject to stringent bail conditions and "absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of inquiry." Investigators are looking at a potential connection to Iran, Russia, or non-state-backed militant groups, but have not yet concluded whether the incident was state-sponsored.
Iran denied any involvement. The Iranian Embassy in London said it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations" surrounding the arrests.
Residents were evacuated from 85 homes in the nearby village of Whelford on Sunday as army bomb-disposal experts deployed a robot to examine the three white vans. As of Monday morning, villagers had not been permitted to return home and the vehicles had not yet been moved.
US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been under surveillance for some time as a result of cooperation between the United States and Britain. "They were looking to do big damage to our fort," Trump told reporters in Chicago on Sunday. "Working with the British worked out great." Police, however, indicated that the arrests were triggered by a late-night call reporting "suspicious vehicles" near the base.
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting declined to disclose operational details but said it was "a proud moment" that Trump had recognised the work of British police and intelligence services. "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.
The arrests come amid heightened concern about hostile state activity on British soil. UK intelligence officials have stated that Russia and Iran have both used proxies to carry out crimes in the country. In March, officials reported that the number of national security cases involving hostile states — Iran among them — had risen 50% in the six months to December 2025.
Britain did not join the US and Israel in the conflict with Iran, which began on 28 February, and initially rejected a request from Washington to use UK bases to strike Iranian targets. Prime Minister Keir Starmer later agreed in March to permit the US to use British bases for what he described as "defensive" operations against Iranian missiles and their launch sites, following Iranian attacks on UK interests and British allies in the Gulf.
American B-1 and B-52 bombers have operated from RAF Fairford — located approximately 160 kilometres west of London — during the Iran conflict. Tehran has stated that it regards any base used to attack its territory as a legitimate military target.
British security officials say Iran-linked proxies have been behind a series of arson and sabotage attempts in the UK and elsewhere, many targeting the Jewish community, and have previously warned that Iran could broaden its targets in Britain if Middle Eastern conflicts persist.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said on Monday that the incident served as "a reminder of the threats our country faces." Miliband met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the United Nations in New York last week and told him that "Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil," according to a UK government readout of the meeting.
The US Air Force said personnel at RAF Fairford "remain vigilant" but declined to discuss specific security measures for operational reasons. The US Embassy in London separately advised American citizens in Britain to exercise caution and remain mindful of their personal security.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)