{
  "id": 10752142,
  "title": "Mystery over UK airbase scare as police find petrol, not explosives",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/mystery-over-uk-airbase-scare-as-police-find-petrol-not-explosives",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T18:21:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3369251/mystery-over-uk-airbase-scare-police-find-petrol-not-explosives"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A UK investigation into a suspected bomb plot at the US-occupied RAF Fairford airbase in southwest England has been marred by uncertainty, as police reported finding petrol rather than explosives in vehicles seized during a major incident on Sunday. The base, which is used by the US military for strikes on Iran, experienced a scare after a resident spotted suspicious activity involving three vans. This prompted an evacuation of a nearby village and a declaration of a major incident. National Counter Terrorism Policing head Laurence Taylor stated that while no improvised explosive devices were found, a quantity of petrol was recovered from the seized vehicles. The incident has raised questions and speculation, with Washington criticizing the release of five London-based Britons arrested on explosives and terror charges. Trump, the US President, expressed surprise at their release, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested the involvement of a foreign actor. Despite the petrol being found, some speculate the men may have been fuel thieves, as energy prices rise in the UK. The security scare forced 85 homes to evacuate, with many residents having to stay elsewhere for at least one night. The police have searched homes in London and are hoping to conclude their investigation by Wednesday. A local resident in the village of Kempsford said the incident was embarrassing, as it was perceived as a terrorist attack by the world, but it turned out to be a \"lot of noise for nothing.\"",
  "summary": "A UK probe into a suspected bomb plot at an airbase used by the US was mired in confusion Tuesday, as police said no explosives but a “quantity of petrol” was found in vehicles seized nearby. Police were called to the Royal Air Force Fairford base in southwest England on Sunday after a resident saw several vans “acting suspiciously”, triggering an evacuation of the nearby village and the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Mystery over UK airbase scare as police find petrol not explosives",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/mystery-over-uk-airbase-scare-as-police-find-petrol-not-explosives-10756998",
        "published": "2026-09-29T18:45:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "Mystery over UK airbase scare as police find 'quantity of petrol' but no explosives",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/mystery-over-uk-airbase-scare-as-police-find-quantity-of-petrol-but",
        "published": "2026-09-29T19:05:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}