Police were holding five men on Monday and examining suspected explosives found near a US-operated air force base in England, as counterterror detectives investigated whether the arrests foiled an attempted attack linked to Iran.
The men were detained early on Sunday after three vans were spotted near RAF Fairford, a UK-owned base operated by the US Air Force that has been used by American fighter jets during decades of conflicts in the Middle East.
The five, who have not been named, were initially held over suspected explosives offences, and later also arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. Police can hold them for up to 14 days before they must be charged or released.
President Donald Trump said the suspects had been detained following cooperation between the US and Britain, and had been “under view” for some time. Police, however, said the arrests were triggered by a late-night call about “suspicious vehicles” near the base.
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting declined to give details of the operation, but said “it was a proud moment” that Trump had recognised “the work that our police and intelligence services do every day.”
“As and when we can, we will report back to the public about these individuals and about the nature of the threat,” Streeting told Times Radio.
Investigators have not concluded whether the incident is a state-backed attack, but are investigating a possible Iran link.
Britain did not join the US-Israeli war on Iran that began February 28 and initially denied Trump’s request to use bases in the UK to strike Iran. But then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed in March to let the US use bases in Britain for what he called “defensive” operations against Iran’s missiles and their launch sites following Iranian attacks on UK interests and Britain’s allies in the Gulf.
American B-1 and B-52 bombers have taken off from Fairford, 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of London, for operations during the Iran war.
Iran has said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.
British security officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arson and sabotage attempts in the UK and other countries. They have previously warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the UK if conflicts in the Middle East continue.
Residents were evacuated from 85 homes in the village of Whelford near the base on Sunday, as army bomb-disposal experts used a robot to examine three white vans. The villagers had not been able to go home as of Monday morning, and the vans had not yet been moved.
The US Air Force said its personnel based at RAF Fairford “remain vigilant,” but “for operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures.”
The US embassy in London has warned Americans in Britain to be cautious and mindful of their personal security.
Trump said authorities had the suspects “under view for a long time and we got them.”
