London (TDI): British authorities are investigating whether individuals acting on behalf of a foreign state were involved in an apparent plot targeting RAF Fairford, a UK airbase used by the United States, while five suspects arrested in connection with the case are set to be released on stringent bail conditions.
The five men, all British nationals from London and in their early 20s, were arrested early Sunday on suspicion of explosives offences and planning a terrorist act. Police were alerted after a local farmer reported seeing three white vans travelling towards RAF Fairford, which hosts US bombers and has been used for missions against Iran.
Counter-terrorism chief Laurence Taylor said the suspects would be released on bail later Monday but stressed that their release did not mean the investigation had ended. “To be very clear, this does not mean that the investigation is over,” Taylor said, adding that police were pursuing multiple lines of inquiry.
Taylor said investigators were examining whether the incident could have involved individuals or proxies working for a foreign state, either knowingly or unknowingly. “We are considering this from every possible angle,” he said, without identifying any specific country.
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A source familiar with the investigation previously said that an Iran-linked motive was considered among the leading possibilities, while a Russian sabotage operation and an Islamist extremist plot were also being examined, according to Reuters.
Iran’s Embassy in London rejected any suggestion of Iranian involvement, describing the allegations as unfounded and malicious and warning against what it called anti-Iranian narratives in Britain.
The investigation comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Western countries, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps having previously described RAF Fairford as a potential target.
Authorities said the three white vans had undergone extensive examination with support from military and forensic specialists. Police continued to maintain a significant presence around the site, while an area within a 400-metre cordon was secured and residents of 85 homes in the nearby village of Whelford were temporarily evacuated.
British Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said the area had subsequently been made safe following work by the Army’s explosive ordnance disposal team. Residents were expected to return after the security operation was completed.
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The farmer who alerted police said she had seen hooded and masked individuals running into nearby fields and believed her call to the emergency 999 service had helped prevent a potential attack. Authorities have not publicly confirmed how many people were present at the scene or whether an attack was imminent.
US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the suspects had been seeking to cause “big damage” and had been under investigation by British and US authorities. However, questions have emerged in British media over the extent of prior surveillance of the suspects, given their proximity to the military facility.
Following the arrests, the US Embassy in London issued a security alert advising American citizens to exercise caution and remain mindful of their personal security. Security measures were also strengthened at other US military facilities in Britain.
