Five British nationals arrested near RAF Fairford on terrorism suspicion
The men, aged 23 to 25, were detained with three vans close to the air base which hosts U.S. forces and serves as a key European hub for the U.S. Air Force.
A police cordon remained in place Monday near a major air base hosting U.S. forces in southwest England, where British police arrested five men early Sunday on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses.
Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed that all five men arrested were from London, were British nationals, and were aged between 23 and 25. They were detained "on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and preparation of a terrorist act contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act."
Police stated that they are still working to "establish the full circumstances of the activity of those arrested, their knowledge and any motivation behind this incident."
British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting stated Monday that he would not "comment in detail on operational security matters." He added that the investigation was "well under way" and thanked those involved in the arrests, the evacuation of the town, and the investigation. Police reported that at least 85 homes were evacuated during their response on Sunday.
Streeting also thanked an anonymous farmer who reported seeing the men. The farmer told the BBC she called authorities after coming across the "hooded and masked" men and vans in the early hours of Sunday morning in the village of Whelford, near RAF Fairford. Streeting noted that the tipster "only had a partial picture" of the situation.
President Donald Trump commented on Sunday that the suspects were "looking to do big damage" to U.S. forces present at RAF Fairford. "The arrest in the U.K. was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job," Trump said.
RAF Fairford has served as a key European hub for the U.S. Air Force and a vital staging point for long-range operations in the Middle East. The U.S. military has used the base intensively amid ongoing operations.
When asked about potential Iranian involvement, Streeting said he was not "drawing a connection with Iran," but added, "We know that Iran and their proxies wish to do us harm."
