5 arrested near UK’s RAF Fairford in explosives probe, US base on highest alert: Key details

A major incident was declared near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Sunday after five men were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act as well as offences under the Explosives Act, prompting the evacuation of homes in the nearby village of Whelford.Assistant chief constable Richard Ocone said police received a call at about 12:45 am (local time) regarding three suspicious vehicles near RAF Fairford. The five men have been taken into custody, and police are working with counterterrorism officers.Police said the situation had been contained, while an Army explosive ordnance disposal team examined several vehicles.Aerial footage from Sky News appeared to show a bomb disposal robot moving between three white trucks, with the rear doors of two vans open and large black items visible nearby.Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation.Here is what we know so far.What happened?Gloucestershire Police said five men were arrested early on Sunday on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act.They are also being held on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.Ocone said police received a call at around 12:45 am (local time) about three suspicious vehicles near RAF Fairford. The men were subsequently taken into custody, with counterterrorism police involved in the investigation.A number of properties in Whelford were evacuated and residents were taken to a nearby leisure centre in Cirencester while emergency services dealt with the incident.Ocone said 85 households in Whelford had been evacuated as a precaution. The village backs onto the air base.Police said a cordon had been established and that they believed the situation was contained.“We are working closely with our partners and are enacting the well-rehearsed plans we have in place,” Gloucestershire Police said, as reported by the BBC.A large emergency services presence was reported in the area, including a Hazardous Area Response Team.A local resident, Julian Tudsbery, who has lived in Whelford for 30 years, said a resident had reported seeing three “suspicious vans” in the village in the early hours, according to news agency AP.He said police arrived and residents were told to evacuate because there had been a major incident.Why is RAF Fairford significant?Whelford is near RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force base that hosts US Air Force personnel.The base hosts the headquarters of the US Air Force's 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron.The base has recently been used by US forces during the conflict with Iran. According to the BBC, four American bombers arrived at RAF Fairford in March after then-prime minister Keir Starmer authorised US action described as “defensive” against Iranian missile sites from UK bases.The UK government allowed the US military to use Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites after the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28. Iran has said bombers flying from the base have been used for strikes beyond the original remit.Police have not confirmed that Sunday's arrests or the explosives investigation are connected to RAF Fairford, although the proximity of the arrests to the base has raised speculation about a possible connection.The US department of defence raised the threat level at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk following the incident near Fairford. RAF Lakenheath confirmed it was on Charlie alert, the second-highest threat level issued by the US department of defence.According to the BBC, RAF Fairford had been raised to Delta, the highest threat level.What has the US Air Force said?A US Air Force spokesperson said US and British personnel at RAF Fairford “remain vigilant” and declined to discuss specific force-protection measures for security reasons.“For operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures,” the spokesperson said. “We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families.”The spokesperson said US and British personnel would take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of those at the base.What are officials saying?Defence Secretary Wes Streeting thanked the emergency and specialist teams responding to the incident.“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with,” he said.A government spokesperson also thanked emergency services for acting quickly to detain several suspects and protect the local community, while saying it would be inappropriate to comment further as the investigation continues.Local authorities said the incident was serious, with those living closest to the affected area evacuated to Cirencester Leisure Centre.Prime Minister Andy Burnham is receiving updates on the situation, according to his office.Police have not disclosed the identities of the five men or provided further details about the suspected terrorist act. Authorities have also not confirmed that the arrests or explosives investigation are linked to RAF Fairford.Police are still working to establish what happened at the airbase and in the surrounding area, with counter-terrorism officers leading the investigation.Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation, which was in line with normal procedures in similar situations.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.