One of the five men arrested near RAF Fairford called 999 himself
Police Investigate RAF Fairford Security Alert After Five Men Released on Bail
Ninoda.com – A security operation around RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is continuing after five men were arrested near the base in the early hours of Sunday, with one of the suspects having made a 999 call before the alarm was raised by a local farmer.
The call from the suspect was made at 00:45 BST. Nearly an hour later, a woman who farms in the area contacted emergency services after returning home and finding a road blocked by what she described as a large group of masked and hooded men.
“I believe that my 999 call foiled whatever plans they had.”
She said spotting the group had been “pure luck”. Police were alerted to three vehicles considered suspicious in Whelford, a village immediately east of RAF Fairford. The sighting prompted a major response involving counter-terrorism officers and bomb disposal specialists.
Petrol Found During Vehicle Searches
The five men were initially detained on suspicion of explosives offences. They were later also arrested under terrorism legislation after three vans near the US-operated military base attracted concern.
Searches of the vans found petrol, but officers said no explosive devices were recovered. A 400m, or 1,312ft, exclusion zone was established while specialists worked at the scene. Residents from 85 homes evacuated on Sunday have since been allowed back to their properties, and remaining police cordons are expected to be fully removed on Wednesday.
All five suspects are British nationals aged between 23 and 25. Four are from Westminster, while the fifth lives in Camden. Searches at their homes have now been completed.
They were released on bail on Monday, a move police described as an operational decision made as the inquiry proceeds. Their bail terms include strict limits on travel and contact with other people.
Counter-Terrorism Inquiry Continues
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who leads Counter Terrorism Policing, said the response on Sunday was based on more than one piece of information. He stressed that investigators are following several possible avenues while they establish what happened near the base.
“The safety of the public is at the forefront of our investigative decision-making, and this was certainly the case yesterday.”
Taylor acknowledged that the suspects’ release had surprised some members of the public, but said it reflected investigative experience and strategy rather than a reduction in concern.
“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.”
Officers are examining whether any proxies were involved, as well as the possibility that individuals may have knowingly or unknowingly acted on behalf of a foreign state. No conclusion has been announced on that question, and the investigation remains active.
Taylor said the incident had understandably unsettled people living close to the base. He added that concern had been intensified by international discussion surrounding the arrests and the decision to grant bail.
Strategic Importance of the Gloucestershire Base
RAF Fairford has long played an important role as a forward operating site for the United States Air Force. The base has been used by US forces for decades and has recently been involved in operations connected with the Middle East.
US bombers have departed from Fairford for the region in recent months after the UK approved an American request to use the base for defensive strikes on Iran. That wider international backdrop has added attention to the incident in Whelford.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was “disappointed” the five men had been released on bail. British police have maintained that the inquiry is continuing and that public safety remains central to decisions taken during the investigation.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired a Cobra meeting on Monday afternoon. He urged the public not to draw conclusions before authorities had established the complete circumstances.
“Not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.”
In July, Iran said that any base used for attacks against Iranian territory would be a legitimate target for its forces. The Iranian embassy in London has rejected claims linking Iran to the latest events, calling such suggestions unfounded and malicious.
For residents near RAF Fairford, the lifting of evacuation measures offers some immediate reassurance. However, the continuing inquiry means important questions remain unresolved, including why the vehicles were in the area, what prompted the first 999 call, and whether the men were acting independently or with outside involvement.
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