British counter-terrorism police have released five British men on bail after they were arrested near RAF Fairford, a military base in Gloucestershire used by the U.S. military, as investigators examine whether the incident was linked to a suspected terrorist plot or a foreign state.
The five men, all British nationals in their 20s and from London, were arrested on Sunday after police received a report about three suspicious vehicles near the airbase. A local resident said she had seen a group of masked or hooded men in the area and contacted police.
Police initially arrested the men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and later investigated possible preparation of a terrorist act. The three vehicles were examined extensively by bomb-disposal and counter-terrorism teams. Latest reporting indicates that police have not found explosives that could be used in an attack.
Laurence Taylor, head of Britain’s Counter Terrorism Policing, said the suspects were released following extensive interviews and inquiries but remain under investigation. He said they were released under stringent conditions governing their movement and contact with others, stressing that the decision did not mean the investigation had ended.
British authorities are also examining whether the incident involved people acting on behalf of a foreign state, either knowingly or unknowingly. Police have not publicly attributed the incident to Iran, while Iran’s embassy in London has rejected suggestions of Iranian involvement as “unfounded and malicious.”
The arrests come amid heightened tensions between Britain, the United States and Iran. RAF Fairford has been used by U.S. forces for military operations and has recently supported American strikes against Iranian targets. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had previously described the base as a potential target.
U.S. President Donald Trump questioned the decision to release the suspects on bail and suggested the incident could be connected to Iran, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a foreign actor was believed to be involved. Neither provided publicly detailed evidence linking Iran to the arrests. British authorities have kept the investigation open and have said they are considering multiple lines of inquiry.
The incident triggered the evacuation of about 85 nearby properties and a security cordon around parts of the village of Whelford. British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said security services had already been aware of the individuals involved, but officials have provided limited details because the investigation remains ongoing.
