Five men were arrested on Sunday following an incident near RAF Fairford, a British military base used by the US Air Force. British media reports that a specialized army team, responsible for ordnance disposal, inspected several vehicles. The deputy police chief described the event as “serious.” The men are currently suspected of preparing a terrorist act, although they were initially apprehended on suspicion of violating explosives laws.
Following a major alert, the police department in Gloucestershire confirmed that several properties in the Whelford area were evacuated. A perimeter circle of 400 meters was established, and 85 households near the US base were evacuated. A US Air Force spokesperson stated that they would not comment on specific measures taken to protect military forces.
Police assessed that the incident was brought under control throughout the day. Whelford is located in western England, close to the US outpost at RAF Fairford. The base was known to have been used by US military forces during the war with Iran. US forces had moved long-range bombers to RAF Fairford back in March. Prior to this, the London Ministry of Defence had confirmed that the United States utilized British bases for “specific defensive operations” during the Iran-Iraq War.
