London, September 28, 2026: British police were questioning five men on Monday on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences after they were detained near RAF Fairford, a military airbase in western England that has been used by the United States for strikes against Iran.
Police initially detained three men in the early hours of Sunday after receiving a report that three large white vans were travelling towards the airbase.
US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been planning to cause “big damage” and claimed they had been under investigation by British and US authorities. However, a local farmer told authorities she had alerted police after seeing a group of “hooded and masked men” running into nearby fields.
British counterterrorism detectives have not publicly identified a suspected motive. However, a source familiar with the investigation said an Iranian-linked motive was considered the most likely, while possible Russian sabotage or an Islamist plot were also being examined.
Defence Minister Wes Streeting declined to speculate on the motive while the investigation remained ongoing.
Speaking to BBC News, however, Streeting said Britain was aware of what he described as a broader threat from Iran and its proxies.
“We know that Iran and their proxies wish to do us harm,” he said, adding that British authorities regularly had to thwart what he described as Iranian attempts to threaten British interests or those of its allies.
Britain in May imposed sanctions on 12 individuals and entities linked to Iran, accusing them of involvement in hostile activities, including alleged attack plots and financial support for groups seeking to destabilise the UK and other countries.
Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in attacks or plots in Britain and elsewhere.
The British government had authorised the US to use bombers stationed at RAF Fairford to conduct strikes against Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had warned Britain in July against allowing US bombers to operate from Fairford, saying any base used to launch attacks would be considered a legitimate target.
Police have established a 400-metre security cordon around RAF Fairford and evacuated residents from 85 homes as investigations continued.
A bomb disposal robot was seen operating around the three white vans on Sunday, while armed police guarded the main entrance to the base. Heavy machinery was also deployed to block other access points.
Security measures were subsequently increased at other US military facilities in Britain.
The British government said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being regularly updated on the incident. He also cancelled at least two engagements at his Labour Party’s annual conference on Sunday.
The investigation remains ongoing, with police yet to announce whether the men will face charges.
