Five arrested near RAF Fairford on suspicion of terrorism offenses

Five men were arrested near RAF Fairford in western England early Sunday on suspicion of explosives offenses and preparing a terrorist act, after police received a report of three suspicious vehicles traveling toward the airbase used by U.S. forces.

Bomb disposal specialists examined vehicles near Whelford, a village close to the Gloucestershire base, as police set up a 400-meter cordon and evacuated 85 households. The men remained in custody Sunday evening. Authorities have not named them or released their nationalities.

Gloucestershire Police received the call at 12:45 a.m. and arrested the men near Whelford. They were initially detained on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act, then further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Counter Terrorism Policing is leading the investigation.

“We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody,” Vicki Evans, a senior national counterterrorism policing official, said. Under the Terrorism Act 2000, suspects can be held for up to 14 days without charge; the usual limit for a standard arrest is 24 hours without an extension.

Police said they believed the situation was contained, but Gloucestershire Police Temporary Chief Constable Maggie Blyth said a substantial emergency-services presence would remain for the next few days. She left any decision to declare a terrorist incident to counterterrorism investigators.

Residents forced from their homes were directed to a nearby leisure center. Gloucestershire Police said they could not return Sunday night, and Cotswold District Council said it would arrange accommodation for those unable to stay with family or friends.

“We just had to throw our clothes on and come. We didn’t know anything,” a resident who gave her name as Jo told the BBC. Another resident, Jason, said: “It all happened very quickly. We just packed our stuff up and came here.”

An unnamed Whelford resident told the PA news agency she called police after seeing three vans blocking a road and a group of men wearing hoods and balaclavas. Aerial images showed a bomb disposal robot near white vehicles, though police have not confirmed its use, the BBC reported.

RAF Fairford has long been used by the U.S. Air Force. More recently, American warplanes have used the base for strikes on Iranian capabilities under an agreement with former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowing its use for defensive purposes. The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, and Iran subsequently attacked Israel and U.S.-allied Gulf states.

NPR reported that authorities are examining a possible link between the arrests and Iran. British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said it was “far too early to comment or speculate” on Iranian involvement. He said he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, Pete Hegseth.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the incident “deeply concerning” and urged people not to speculate while authorities establish the facts. U.S. President Donald Trump said those arrested were “looking to do big damage” and praised cooperation with British authorities. The U.S. military said it was working with its British counterparts to protect personnel, families and the local community.