5 people arrested near British air base used by the United States on suspicion of planning a terrorist act: NPR
Emergency services at the scene of an incident near RAF Fairford, Whelford, England on Sunday September 27, 2026.
Ben Birchall/PA via AP
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Ben Birchall/PA via AP
LONDON — British police said Sunday that five men arrested in the middle of the night near an air base used by the United States during its war with Iran were being held on suspicion of planning a terrorist act.
London’s Metropolitan Police, which takes the lead on potential terrorist activity, said in a statement that police received a call at 12:45 a.m. about three suspicious vehicles that appeared to be heading towards the air base.
The five men were initially arrested on suspicion of committing explosives violations in the Whelford area, which backs up to RAF Fairford, the base that hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron. The base is owned by the United Kingdom and operated by the United States under an agreement dating back to the Cold War.
Fairford was used by U.S. forces for strictly limited strikes during the war with Iran. After the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28, the British government authorized the US military to use the Fairford base to strike Iranian missile sites. Iran said bombers flying from the base had been used for strikes beyond their original mandate.
The police gave no details on the nationality of those arrested.
“We are in the early stages of an investigation and five men remain in custody,” said Vicki Evans, the Met’s deputy assistant commissioner. “As you would expect, we are working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident.”
She said a 400-meter cordon had been set up around the three vehicles, raising suspicions while the army carried out examinations. As a precautionary measure, approximately 85 households were evacuated during these examinations.
Aerial footage from Sky News appeared to show a bomb disposal robot wandering between three white trucks. The rear doors of two of the vans were open and large black objects could be seen scattered throughout. The robot seemed to be trying to get to the third truck.
Local police in Gloucestershire said the situation appeared “contained”.
A US Air Force spokesperson said US and UK personnel “remain vigilant” and will take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of everyone on the base.
“For operational security reasons, we will not discuss specific force protection measures,” the spokesperson said. “We constantly evaluate a variety of factors that determine the measures we institute or modify to protect our facilities, our employees and their families.”
The arrests come at a time of heightened tensions around the threat posed by hostile states to the UK, with Russia and Iran among those who have used proxies to commit crimes on their behalf on British soil. In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activities by hostile states, including Iran, increased by 50% in the six months to December 2025.
Residents of a number of properties in Whelford were taken to a nearby leisure centre.
Julian Tudsbery, who has lived in Whelford for 30 years, said a resident reported three “suspicious vans” in the village early on Sunday morning.
“There were several police officers, three police cars in the driveway, and they said you need to evacuate, there was a major incident, they said they couldn’t give any more details,” he said.
British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting thanked the emergency and specialist teams who responded to the incident.
“We can be reassured that this matter is resolved,” he said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is receiving updates on the situation, his office said.
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