UK security forces were aware of RAF Fairford suspected bomb plot, hints defence secretary

UK security and intelligence agencies were aware of a suspected bomb plot targeting RAF Fairford, a base used by the US military, according to Defence Secretary Wes Streeting. Five men were arrested on terrorism charges after explosives were found in three vans parked near the base in Gloucestershire. The base has been involved in missions linked to the conflict with Iran.

US President Donald Trump had praised British authorities for preventing what he described as a major attack, indicating the suspects had been under surveillance for an extended period. Streeting told BBC Radio 4 that the security services and police were not seeking praise, but he acknowledged it was a "proud moment" to see Trump recognize their work.

He declined to disclose specific details about the prior intelligence or the identities of the arrested men, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. A local woman who discovered the vans while returning from a party suggested that security arrangements around the base may have failed to detect the activity. The woman initially thought the vans were connected to security operations at RAF Fairford.

After noticing armed men wearing hoods and masks, she contacted police and called 999. The incident led to a major security operation in the nearby village of Whelford, where residents were evacuated and a 400-meter cordon was established. Army bomb disposal teams used robots to examine the vehicles, while armed officers secured the area.

The arrests have sparked questions about the extent of British security agencies' monitoring of the group prior to the discovery of the vans.