A suspected terror plot targeting RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire involves the hand of a foreign actor, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a television interview. Five British nationals were arrested on Sunday after three suspicious vans were found near the airbase, which is used by the United States military to carry out strikes against Iran.
Investigation Details and Suspect Releases
Counterterrorism officers detained five British men on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism after discovering the three vans outside the Gloucestershire base in the early hours of Sunday. The arrests prompted the evacuation of roughly 85 nearby households in Whelford for about 36 hours while emergency teams and bomb disposal robots examined the scene. Police subsequently released all five suspects on bail under stringent conditions on Monday. Investigators confirmed that initial examinations of the material recovered from the vans showed no viable explosives, though police stressed that inquiries remain active and ongoing.
The detained men include a 24-year-old from Camden in north London, three men aged 23, 24, and 25 from Westminster in central London, and a 24-year-old from Willesden in north-west London. Head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor stated outside New Scotland Yard that his force is keeping an open mind and considering every possible angle, including whether the suspects were acting as proxies or individuals knowingly or unknowingly working on behalf of a foreign state.
US Officials Raise Concerns Over Bail Decisions
Speaking on Fox News, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to share specific operational details but characterized the weekend incident as a very serious situation. Rubio pointed out that Iran has openly threatened to attack American interests globally and stated that such threats are taken seriously. While Rubio thanked British authorities for their cooperative response, he acknowledged that many people are disturbed by the decision to release the suspects on bail.
US President Donald Trump voiced similar displeasure at the White House on Monday, telling reporters that he was surprised the group had been freed and asserting that authorities would not have released them. Tensions surrounding the facility have remained elevated since July, when Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared RAF Fairford a legitimate target.
Iranian Denial and UK Political Response
The Iranian embassy in London issued a categorical rejection and strong condemnation of what it described as unfounded and malicious speculations regarding Tehran’s involvement in the incident. In response to the security alert, Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired an emergency Cobra cabinet meeting on Monday. Following the meeting, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized that decisions regarding police bail remain operational matters for law enforcement and prosecutors as the counterterrorism investigation continues.
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