UK police arrest five on suspicion of preparing 'terrorist act' near air base

LONDON

A US Air Force B-1 Lancer bomber is pictured on the tarmac at RAF Fairford base on Sept. 27, 2026 in Fairford, England. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

British police arrested five men near an air base used by the U.S. Air Force on Sept. 27 on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, prompting the evacuation of about 85 households.

Armed officers detained the men in Whelford, near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, after an emergency call about three suspicious vehicles apparently heading toward the base, London’s Metropolitan Police said.

The men were initially arrested on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act before being further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Counterterrorism officers took over the investigation.

Police said they believed the incident had been contained. A 400-meter cordon was placed around three white vans while army bomb disposal experts examined them. A nearby leisure center was opened to accommodate evacuated residents.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the suspects had been “looking to do big damage” at the base and that U.S. and British authorities had worked together on the case.

“We had them under view for a long time, and we got them,” he told reporters.

A resident told the PA news agency she had alerted emergency services after seeing three vans blocking a road and a group of men wearing hoods and balaclavas.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham, attending the Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool, thanked police, the armed forces and residents who had left their homes while precautionary checks were carried out.

Defense Minister Wes Streeting said he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, Pete Hegseth, and that the two countries were working closely. Asked about possible Iranian involvement, he declined to speculate.

In March, then Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized the use of Fairford and another U.K. base for what he described as defensive U.S. operations against Iranian missile sites.

The U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing, based at Fairford, said no U.S. Air Force personnel had been involved in the incident. It said it was coordinating with British authorities to ensure the safety of military personnel and local communities.