Mystery surrounding a suspected security threat near a United States-used airbase in southwest England has deepened after British counter-terrorism police said no explosives were found in three vans linked to five arrested men.
The men, all British nationals aged between 23 and 25 and resident in London, were arrested early Sunday near Royal Air Force Fairford in Gloucestershire after a local farmer reported seeing suspicious vans blocking a road and masked individuals in the area. They were initially detained on suspicion of explosives offences and preparing a terrorist act.
However, the head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said on Tuesday that extensive searches of the vehicles had found no improvised explosive devices. Police instead recovered a quantity of petrol from the vans.
The revelation has raised questions about the circumstances that led to the arrests and the nature of the suspected threat. The five men were released on bail on Monday but remain under investigation and are subject to strict conditions while detectives continue their inquiries. Taylor said the decision to release them was an investigative one based on experience and careful consideration of police powers.
The security scare prompted the evacuation of about 85 homes in the nearby village of Whelford, while armed police and other security personnel established a cordon around the area. Investigators have also searched properties in London as part of the continuing operation.
Authorities are examining several possible lines of inquiry, including whether the suspects could have been acting knowingly or unknowingly on behalf of a foreign state. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the incident “clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor”, although he did not identify any country or provide evidence for the claim.
Iran has rejected speculation linking it to the incident, with its embassy in London saying it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” such claims. Investigators have not publicly concluded that Iran or any other foreign government was involved.
RAF Fairford is a strategically important base used by the US Air Force and has served as a launch point for American bomber operations. Its significance has increased during the ongoing conflict involving Iran, with US aircraft operating from the base.
The suspicious vans reportedly contained barrels, and at least one carried a logo and telephone number falsely suggesting a connection to a legitimate diesel delivery company. The company said the vehicles and individuals involved had no connection with it and that it was cooperating with police.
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