Five men arrested over suspected bomb plot near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire
Counter-terrorism police arrested five men after explosives were found in vans near RAF Fairford. An Iranian connection is being investigated.
Explosives found in vans near US air force base in Cotswolds
Counter-terrorism police arrested five men in the early hours of Sunday after armed officers discovered what appeared to be improvised explosive devices inside three vans parked minutes from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, bbc.co.uk reports.
The men were initially detained on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act before being further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act. Police were called at around 12.45am on Sunday 27 September following a 999 call from a member of the public who had spotted the three vehicles behaving suspiciously as she drove home through the Cotswolds countryside.
Images shared on Sunday showed shirtless men being handcuffed in a dark country lane. Officers removing suspects' shirts is understood to be a precautionary measure against the risk of suicide vests or concealed weapons.
85 households evacuated; bomb robots deployed
The operation triggered a major incident response. Residents of 85 households in the village of Whelford were rapidly evacuated to Cirencester leisure centre and a 400-metre cordon was established around the three white vans while army bomb disposal robots examined them. Tests were ongoing to establish whether the suspected devices were viable.
At least one of the vans displayed the logo of a fuel company alongside a phone number with a missing digit. The real company of the same name issued a statement distancing itself from any involvement: "We are extremely concerned that our company's name has been used without our knowledge or permission," it said, adding that it was cooperating fully with the authorities.
Iran among motives under investigation
Investigators are examining whether Iran was behind the suspected plot. RAF Fairford hosts US air force missions and has been used by American B-1 and B-52 heavy bombers — aircraft capable of carrying large payloads including so-called bunker-buster munitions — in strikes on Iranian missile sites. The base's reinforced runway extends almost two miles (3km).
In July, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps explicitly named RAF Fairford, warning that "any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for our forces." Counter-terrorism sources said that an Iranian motive remains prominent in the thinking of investigators and the government, but that nothing is being ruled out, including a jihadist or other motive. The UK's threat level remains at severe — the second highest — meaning an attack is considered highly likely.
Any confirmed link to Tehran would represent a significant escalation in tensions between the UK and Iran. Several recent incidents in Britain have already been attributed to Iranian actors, including an antisemitic arson attack on four Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green. The alleged plot at RAF Fairford is, however, considered by investigators to be of a different order of seriousness.
Plot apparently foiled by chance
The operation does not appear to have been intelligence-led. The Guardian understands that authorities had not known about any potential plot in advance, and that the arrests came about only after the 999 call from a passing resident. US president Donald Trump claimed on Sunday that the suspects had been under observation for a "long time" and alleged the men "were looking to do big damage," but that account conflicts with the understanding of British investigators.
"It was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job," Trump said.
UK prime minister Andy Burnham, attending the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, cancelled a scheduled appearance in a journalists-versus-politicians football match to take calls about the incident. He described developments as "deeply concerning" and said the government would "always take every step necessary" to protect people.
Background: UK bases and the US-Iran conflict
In March this year, then prime minister Sir Keir Starmer granted permission for the United States to conduct what were described as "defensive" operations against Iranian missile sites from UK bases. Four American bombers subsequently landed at RAF Fairford and the US began using the facility for what officials termed "specific defensive operations."
The decision prompted protests in the months that followed. Residents of Whelford said they had noticed "heightened tensions" around the base in recent weeks, with more frequent and more visible police patrols in the area.
Iran's ministry of intelligence and security has a documented history of orchestrating operations on foreign soil, and whether any state actor was directly involved in Sunday's incident forms a central part of the ongoing counter-terrorism investigation.
Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)