'Exposed' by 999 call, bomb disposal robot used: What happened near US-run base in UK
Five men were arrested near RAF Fairford following reports of suspicious activity involving three vans. Police responded efficiently after a local farmer reported hooded men approaching the military airbase, prompting a major security operation. Initial detentions were made under explosives legislation, subsequently leading to terrorism suspicions. Investigators are examining potential…
Five men were apprehended near RAF Fairford, a US-run air base in western England, on Sunday following reports of three suspicious vans heading towards the military facility. The base, which has been utilized by US bombers during the Iran conflict, was the focus of heightened concern due to its strategic importance. Police initially detained the men under explosives legislation and later arrested them on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
Three vans were searched by an Army bomb-disposal team, and a 400-meter cordon was set up around the vehicles. Around 85 homes in the nearby village of Whelford were evacuated as a precaution. A local farmer, who encountered the vans and subsequently called the 999 emergency line, claimed that her call might have prevented the men from carrying out their intended plan.
The arrested men were initially held on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act before being charged with preparing a terrorist act. British counterterrorism officers are now investigating the men's alleged intentions, while no confirmed motive has been identified. The arrests follow a period of heightened concern over hostile-state activity in Britain, particularly around RAF Fairford's role in US military operations against Iran.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
