Plot 'exposed' by 999 call, 5 men in mid-twenties arrested: What happened near US-run RAF base in UK

Five men were arrested near RAF Fairford in western England on Sunday after police received reports of three suspicious vans travelling towards the military air base, which has been used by US bombers during the war against Iran. The men were initially detained under explosives legislation and were later arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. Three vans were searched by an Army bomb-disposal team, while a 400-metre cordon was imposed around the vehicles and residents of about 85 homes in nearby Whelford were evacuated.British counterterrorism officers are now investigating what the men were allegedly planning. No motive has been officially confirmed. The arrests come amid heightened concern in Britain over hostile-state activity and at a particularly sensitive time for RAF Fairford, given its role in US military operations against Iran.5 arrestedFive men were arrested near RAF Fairford in western England early Sunday after police received reports of three suspicious white vans travelling towards the military air base. Gloucestershire Police said the alert came at about 12.45am, prompting armed officers to respond in the Whelford area.The men, all British nationals living in London and in their mid-twenties, were initially arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and later on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, said the police. The Counter Terrorism Police said they were working to establish the circumstances surrounding the men's activity, their knowledge and any possible motive. "At this time, we are working to establish the full circumstances of the activity of those arrested, their knowledge and any motivation behind this incident," police said. The force also urged caution over speculation about the motive, saying counter-terrorism officers needed "the space to work carefully and clearly."'999 call foiled plans'Police were alerted in the early hours of Sunday after reports of three white vans apparently travelling towards RAF Fairford. A local farmer later told the BBC that she encountered the vans and then saw a group of “hooded and masked men” moving towards nearby fields. She said she called 999 at about 1.36am after initially trying to contact Ministry of Defence police.“I believe that my 999 call foiled whatever plans they had,” the farmer told the BBC. She said armed police arrived in the village within about 10 minutes. Five men were arrested in the Whelford area and were initially held on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act. They were subsequently arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. The farmer questioned whether the area around the base was being adequately monitored, but Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said she had only a “partial picture” of the incident.Read more: 5 held in UK for suspected plot to attack air base used by USIncident under probeBritish authorities have not publicly established who, if anyone, was behind the suspected plot. However, Reuters reported that investigators were giving greatest weight to a possible Iranian link, while also examining Russian sabotage and an Islamist plot. The investigation comes against a backdrop of repeated British warnings about hostile activity linked to Iran.The timing is significant because RAF Fairford has been used by the US Air Force during its military campaign against Iran. Britain allowed the US to use bases in the UK for what it described as defensive operations against Iranian missiles and their launch sites. Iran has previously warned that bases used to launch attacks against its territory could be considered legitimate targets. British officials have also accused Iran-linked proxies of involvement in arson and sabotage attempts in the UK and elsewhere, allegations Tehran has denied.However, Iran’s embassy in London on Monday denied any involvement. It said in a statement that it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations” surrounding the arrest of five men near the base in western England.Bomb-disposal robot usedThe three suspicious vans became the focus of a major security operation after the arrests. Police established a 400-metre cordon around the vehicles and called in the Army's explosive ordnance disposal unit. A bomb-disposal robot was deployed to examine the vans remotely, with footage showing the machine moving around the vehicles and appearing to inspect one of them.Read more: UK police robot targets vans near airbase used by US forcesAbout 85 homes in Whelford were evacuated as a precaution, and residents remained away from their homes on Monday as the investigation continued. Police said the immediate incident appeared to be contained. Security was also tightened around the air base, with heavy vehicles used to block access points and armed officers seen around the main entrance. Authorities have not publicly disclosed what, if anything, was found inside the vans, or whether the vehicles contained functioning explosives.Trump reactsUS President Donald Trump said the suspects had been under investigation by British and US authorities before their arrest and suggested they had been planning a serious attack on the base. “They were looking to do big damage,” Trump told reporters in Chicago on Sunday. He also said, “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.”Trump said cooperation between the US and Britain had helped lead to the arrests. When asked about a possible Iran connection, he indicated that there was one, although British authorities have not publicly confirmed this as the motive. UK officials have been more cautious because the investigation is still underway. Streeting declined to speculate about the suspects' motives, saying authorities would provide information “as and when we can” without compromising the investigation.Trump hails arrests in UK near US air base over terror suspicionWhy RAF Fairford mattersRAF Fairford is a UK-owned military base operated by the US Air Force under a long-standing arrangement dating back to the Cold War. Located about 160km west of London, it has a runway capable of handling heavy bombers and has been used by US aircraft during major military operations, including the Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq war.The base has taken on renewed importance during the current Iran conflict. US B-1 and B-52 bombers have operated from Fairford during the campaign. It also hosts the headquarters of the US Air Force's 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron. The base has been the target of anti-war protests since the conflict began, but investigators have not said whether the latest incident is connected to protest activity.Situation nowThe five suspects remain in custody while counterterrorism officers investigate the circumstances surrounding their arrest, the contents of the vans and any possible links to a wider plot. Under Britain's terrorism laws, suspects can be detained for up to 14 days before they must be charged or released.Police have not released the men's identities, nationalities or details of any alleged target. The investigation will also have to establish whether there was an organised plan, who may have directed it and whether the suspects had access to explosives capable of causing damage. US military personnel at Fairford have been placed on heightened vigilance, while the US Embassy in London advised Americans in Britain to “exercise caution”.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.