Five men arrested near RAF Fairford released on police bail

September 29, 2026 at 12:16 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Five men arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire have been released on police bail. Counter Terrorism Policing said the men, all UK nationals in their 20s from London, remain under investigation with stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others. The release comes as police explore whether proxies or individuals working on behalf of a foreign state were involved.

Key Facts

The five men, aged 23 to 25, are UK nationals from London — three from Westminster, one from Camden, and one from Willesden.
They were initially detained under the Explosives Act and later further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act.
A farmer reported three white vans and a group of hooded and masked men near the village of Whelford, directly east of RAF Fairford, at 01:36 BST on Sunday.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said the three suspicious vehicles were examined with support from military assets and forensic experts.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired a Cobra meeting on Monday afternoon and urged the public not to speculate.

The Arrests

Counter Terrorism Policing announced the release on police bail of five men arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The men, all UK nationals in their 20s from London, were initially detained under the Explosives Act and later further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. Three of the men live in Westminster, one in Camden, and another in Willesden, and they are aged between 23 and 25. Police said the men remain under investigation and their release is subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others.

The Incident

A major incident was declared and dozens of homes were evacuated after police were alerted to three suspicious vehicles near the airbase in the early hours of Sunday morning. A farmer who called 999 to report the three white vans in the village of Whelford, directly east of the base, said she saw a large group of hooded and masked men. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that she called the Ministry of Defence police at RAF Fairford but received no answer, then rang 999 at 01:36 BST. Within 10 minutes the village was full of armed police, she said, adding that she believed her call foiled whatever plans the men had.

Investigation and Response

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said the three suspicious vehicles had been subject to extensive examination with the support of military assets and forensic experts. Officers were considering the incident from every possible angle, including that this may be activity committed by proxies, or individuals either knowingly or unknowingly working on behalf of a foreign state. Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired a Cobra meeting on Monday afternoon and urged people not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts. The Iranian embassy in London said it categorically rejects and strongly condemns what it called unfounded and malicious speculations linking Iran to the incident.