Iran suspected in bomb plot against RAF base used by US Air Force, UK police investigating - report
Security at RAF Fairford had already been increased in recent months. Protective screens were installed along parts of the perimeter after the base attracted attention as US bombers arrived.
British counter-terrorism police are probing a potential bomb plot targeting RAF Fairford, an air base utilized by US forces in operations against Iran, according to a report by The Telegraph published on Sunday. Five men were apprehended under the Explosives Act and on suspicion of planning a terrorist act following the discovery of three suspicious vans approaching the Gloucestershire air base shortly after midnight.
Gloucestershire Constabulary relayed that a call was received at around 12:45 a.m. concerning three suspicious vehicles heading towards RAF Fairford. Armed officers responded, subsequently arresting the five suspects in the vicinity of Whelford. Counter Terrorism Policing assumed oversight of the investigation, while an Army explosive ordnance disposal squad inspected the vehicles.
Police established a 400-meter cordon and advised approximately 85 households to evacuate as a precautionary measure. The Telegraph reported that investigators were exploring several potential motives, including an Iranian operation, Russian sabotage, or an Islamist plot. Iranian involvement was deemed the most probable possibility, as per the report.
British police have refrained from publicly identifying a suspected perpetrator or substantiating an Iranian connection. President Donald Trump asserted that the arrested men were "looking to do big damage," stating, "It was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job." Footage from the scene depicted several of the men shirtless and handcuffed near the air base, while aerial images revealed a bomb-disposal robot maneuvering between three white vans.
Two of the vehicles had their rear doors ajar, revealing large black objects nearby. One of the vans examined by bomb-disposal specialists bore the words "FUEL 2YOU" in red lettering and displayed a phone number. The Telegraph indicated that the number appeared to be one digit short and was not recognized upon its reporters' calls.
The newspaper could not locate the company name via online searches nor a corresponding listing at Companies House. Fuel2U, a mobile fuel delivery company based in Beaconsfield, informed the newspaper that the vehicle had no affiliation with its business. The base's security had already been heightened in recent months, with protective screens installed along sections of the perimeter following the base's attention-grabbing appearance as US bombers approached.
The suspected plot elicited additional security measures around RAF Fairford, with armed personnel and armored vehicles also observed at other British bases utilized by the US military. The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not publicly ascertained a motive or indicated whether the incident was orchestrated by Iran or any other foreign entity.
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