Police Find Petrol but No Explosives in Vans Near RAF Fairford

Counter-terrorism police found petrol but no explosive devices in three vans near RAF Fairford, a U.S.-operated military base in western England, and have released five men arrested after the vehicles sparked a major security alert.

The five, all British nationals aged 23 to 25, remain under investigation. Police initially arrested them on suspicion of explosives offences and later on suspicion of terrorism offences. They were released on bail Monday, a day after a member of the public reported the vans in Whelford, a village directly east of the base.

The woman who called emergency services told the BBC she had arrived home to find the road blocked and a “large group of hooded and masked men.” Spotting them was “pure luck,” she said. “I believe that my 999 call foiled whatever plans they had.”

Armed officers responded, a bomb disposal team examined the vehicles and authorities set up a 400-metre (1,312-foot) cordon. Residents of 85 evacuated homes have since been allowed to return, and police expect to lift the remaining cordons Wednesday. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said Tuesday that officers’ response had been based on “a range of information,” not solely the woman’s call.

Four of the suspects live in Westminster and one in Camden, both in London. Searches of their homes are complete. Taylor said their bail carries stringent restrictions on their movement and contact with others.

“The safety of the public is at the forefront of our investigative decision-making,” he said. “I understand why this development was surprising to some, but I would like to reiterate that this is an investigative decision and one which is grounded in experience and strategy.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said he was surprised by the bail decision and would not have released the men. On Sunday, he told reporters, “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the incident “clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor,” but provided no evidence and did not identify one.

Taylor said investigators are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, including whether people knowingly or unknowingly acted on behalf of a foreign state. He said international commentary had heightened concern about the incident. Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged people “not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.” Iran’s embassy in London said it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” speculation linking Iran to the case.

Analysts interviewed by Al Jazeera differed over what the evidence might mean. Chris Phillips, a former head of the UK’s National Counter Terrorism Security Office, and Afzal Ashraf, a former senior Royal Air Force officer, said the bail decision suggested police did not have evidence of an imminent attack. Ashraf raised fuel theft as a possible alternative explanation, while stressing it was uncertain. Anthony Glees, a security and intelligence studies professor, argued that assembling three vans suggested a planned operation, potentially involving a foreign state.

RAF Fairford has served as a forward operating location for the U.S. Air Force for decades. U.S. bombers have flown from the base toward the Middle East in recent months after Britain approved its use for defensive strikes on Iran. In July, Iran said any base used for aggression against its territory would be a legitimate target.