Date: September 28, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
British counterterrorism police were questioning five men on Monday after they were detained near RAF Fairford, an airbase used by U.S. forces to conduct strikes against Iranian targets, as investigators worked to determine the circumstances and possible motive behind the incident.
The five men, all British nationals living in London and in their mid-20s, were arrested in the early hours of Sunday after police received a report about three large white vans travelling toward the military airfield in western England. They were initially detained on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and were subsequently arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
Police said the investigation remained in its early stages and that officers were examining multiple possible lines of inquiry. Counter Terrorism Policing Senior National Coordinator Vicki Evans said investigators were working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the men's activities, their knowledge and any motivation behind the incident. She also urged the public and commentators to allow investigators to carry out their work before drawing conclusions about the motive.
A source familiar with the investigation told Reuters that an Iranian-linked motive was considered the most likely possibility, while investigators were also examining the possibility of Russian involvement or an Islamist plot. British authorities, however, had not publicly identified a motive or concluded that the incident was linked to Iran. Iran's embassy in London rejected speculation connecting Tehran to the arrests.
The arrests followed a tip from a local farmer who reported seeing three white vans and a group of hooded and masked men in the area. Armed police responded and detained the suspects near Whelford, about a mile from RAF Fairford.
The base was placed under heightened security, with police establishing a 400-metre cordon around the area. Residents of 85 homes were evacuated while bomb disposal specialists examined the three vans. A bomb disposal robot was seen operating around the vehicles as authorities investigated whether explosives or other potentially dangerous materials were present.
The incident has drawn particular attention because RAF Fairford has been used by U.S. military aircraft during the ongoing conflict with Iran. The British government authorised the United States to use bombers stationed at the base to strike Iranian missile sites that had been attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had warned Britain in July against allowing U.S. bombers to operate from Fairford, saying that bases used to launch attacks against Iranian territory would be regarded as legitimate targets. Britain subsequently said its armed forces were prepared to protect the country from possible attacks.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the suspects had been seeking to cause “big damage” and said British and U.S. authorities had been investigating them. British officials have not publicly confirmed Trump's description of the suspects' intentions or his assertion that they had been under investigation for an extended period. Reuters reported that the arrests were triggered by the local report about suspicious vehicles, while questions remained about the extent of any prior surveillance.
Britain's Defence Minister Wes Streeting declined to speculate about the motive while the investigation was continuing. He said investigators were dealing with a live case and that it would be inappropriate to draw conclusions before the evidence had been assessed.
Security was also increased at other U.S.-used military facilities in Britain following the incident. Reuters witnesses reported heightened security at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, including armed personnel and additional security measures around the bases.
The arrests come amid wider British concerns about hostile-state activity and potential sabotage. British authorities have previously accused individuals linked to Iran of involvement in hostile activity in the United Kingdom, while Russia has also been accused by Western governments of conducting or supporting sabotage and other covert operations. Russia has denied allegations that it conducts hybrid attacks against Western countries.
Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in attacks or plots in Britain and elsewhere. The Iranian embassy in London said speculation linking Tehran to the Fairford arrests was unfounded and rejected any attempt to associate Iran with the incident.
The five men remained in custody as counterterrorism detectives continued questioning them and examining evidence from the vehicles and surrounding area. Authorities have not announced charges against the men, and no court has established that they intended to carry out an attack.
The investigation remains focused on determining what brought the suspects to the area, what was inside the vehicles and whether their presence near RAF Fairford was connected to a planned attack, a foreign-linked operation or another motive. British police have said further information will be released as the investigation develops.