Suspicion of terrorism: Five arrests near the US air force base RAF Fairford

There are suspicions of terrorism against five men who were arrested outside the British military base RAF Fairford, used by the US Air Force, according to the PA news agency. They are therefore suspected of preparing a terrorist attack. The men are also being investigated on suspicion of violating the Explosives Act.

They were arrested after police noticed three suspicious vehicles heading towards the air base on Sunday night.

The background to the incident is not yet known. “We are at an early stage of the investigation,” a spokeswoman for Britain’s counter-terrorism police said, according to PA. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will be continuously informed about the situation. Residents from around 85 households near the air base in Gloucestershire were forced to leave their homes.

It was only in March that the US armed forces moved long-range bombers to the RAF base in Fairford. The Ministry of Defense in London had confirmed that the USA was using British bases for “specific defense operations” in the Iran war. US use was hotly debated at the start of the war.

According to the information, police received a call around 12:45 a.m. on Sunday night about three suspicious vehicles that appeared to be heading toward Fairford Air Force Base. The inmates were then arrested. Counter Terrorism Police's Vicki Evans said a cordon had been set up within 400 meters of the suspect vehicles while the cars were examined.

Aerial footage from Sky News appeared to show a bomb disposal robot moving between three white vehicles. The back doors of two of these vehicles were open and black objects could be seen scattered on the ground.

The proximity to the base in Fairford fueled speculation that it could have been the target of the attack. It is home to the headquarters of the 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron of the US Air Force.

Fairford was also used by the USA during the war against Iran. The British government allowed the US military to attack Iranian missile sites from there. Iran claimed that bombers launched from this base were also used in attacks that went beyond the original operational mission.

A US Air Force spokesman said American and British personnel at the base will remain vigilant and take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of everyone on the base. “For operational security reasons, we will not discuss details of specific protective measures for the armed forces,” the spokesman said.