Five Britons arrested over alleged plan to bomb US-run RAF Fairford base

Five men, all residents of London aged between 23 and 25, were arrested on Sunday in the village of Whelford, near the Gloucestershire airbase RAF Fairford, according to police statements cited by Press TV. Counter Terrorism Policing said the suspects were initially detained on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and were later additionally arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act.

The suspects were identified by police as a 24-year-old man from Camden, north London; three men aged 23, 24 and 25 from Westminster, central London; and another 24-year-old man from Willesden, north-west London. They remain in custody under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, with a custody extension approved until later on Monday. Investigators said they were pursuing multiple lines of inquiry and had yet to establish a motive. "This is a hugely complex and large-scale operation," said Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing.

The men have not been publicly identified, and police have not disclosed where they are being held or what was found in three white vans reportedly linked to the arrests. Photographs of the men, shirtless with their hands tied behind their backs, appeared in UK media on Sunday. Aerial footage from Sunday showed a bomb disposal robot operating near the vans in woodland close to the base. The rear doors of two vehicles were open, with large black objects visible on the ground nearby. Witnesses and media teams in the area later reported hearing what appeared to be controlled explosions.

RAF Fairford is used by the United States military and has been associated with the deployment of long-range US bombers. The US forces have used the base to support their operations against Iran in the past seven months.

The Iranian Embassy in London rejected speculation that Iran was connected to the arrests. The embassy "categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to the arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base," the statement read. The embassy noted that some British individuals and media outlets are spreading "fabricated speculations" and said such claims could fuel "Iranophobia propaganda" in the UK. It added that Iran reserved the right to take legal measures to protect the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to "misleading and damaging media narratives." Police have not publicly established any link between the suspects and Iran.

According to Mehr News, the arrests and subsequent security operation remain under investigation, with no motive yet confirmed by authorities.