British counter-terrorism police were on Sunday probing “a major” incident near a base used by the U.S. air force after arresting five men on suspicion of “preparing a terrorist act”, police said.
Armed officers detained the group in the early hours after a call to emergency services about three “suspicious vehicles which appeared to be travelling towards the air base”, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
The suspects were initially held near the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford air base in Gloucestershire, southwest England, on suspicion of explosives offences.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the suspects were aiming to do significant damage to the base.
“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with,” he said on X.Fairford is the U.K. base of the 501st Combat Support Wing, a U.S. air force administrative support wing, which said in a statement that no U.S. air force personnel had been involved in the incident.
British counter-terrorism police were on Sunday probing “a major” incident near a base used by the U.S. air force after arresting five men on suspicion of “preparing a terrorist act”, police said.
Armed officers detained the group in the early hours after a call to emergency services about three “suspicious vehicles which appeared to be travelling towards the air base”, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
The suspects were initially held near the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford air base in Gloucestershire, southwest England, on suspicion of explosives offences.
Some 85 households in the nearby village of Whelford were advised to evacuate and army bomb disposal experts were called in.
“Counter Terrorism Policing can now confirm they are leading an investigation into an incident which took place overnight near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire,” the Metropolitan Police statement added.
In March, then Prime Minister Keir Starmer granted permission for “defensive” U.S. action against Iranian missile sites from two U.K. bases including Fairford.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being kept updated on the incident, a government spokesperson said.
“We are grateful to the emergency services, who have acted quickly to detain several suspects and put measures in place to keep the community safe,” the spokesperson said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the suspects were aiming to do significant damage to the base. “We had them under investigation. They, they were looking to do big damage to our fort, and working with the British worked out great,” Mr. Trump said. “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.”
Defence Minister Wes Streeting thanked “emergency and specialist teams” deployed to the scene. “We can be reassured that this is being dealt with,” he said on X.
Fairford is the U.K. base of the 501st Combat Support Wing, a U.S. air force administrative support wing, which said in a statement that no U.S. air force personnel had been involved in the incident.
