Counter Terrorism Policing is holding five men on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts after three vans were reported heading towards RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire shortly after midnight on 27 September. Armed officers arrested the men in Whelford, a village about two miles from the base, on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act, and the men were then held on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, an offence under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. None of the five had been charged by 3.20pm on Sunday. Police have not named the men, given their ages or nationalities or said what was found in the vans.

Richard Ocone, assistant chief constable of Gloucestershire Police, said the force received a call at about 12:45am reporting three suspicious vehicles travelling towards RAF Fairford. He said the information came "from residents in the area soon after midnight". Police set up a 400-metre cordon around the vans while the Army's explosive ordnance disposal unit examined them, and about 85 households were advised to leave their homes as a precaution. A leisure centre in Cirencester was opened for them. Ocone asked the public "not to speculate but to follow official channels for updates".

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said: "We are in the early stages of an investigation and five men remain in custody. As you would expect, we are working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident. We continue to work with Gloucestershire Police to keep the community safe as we work to gather evidence from the scene." She said: "A cordon is in place as a precaution and the public can expect to see an emergency services presence."

Aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot beside three white vans parked in woodland, two of them with their rear doors open and large black barrels scattered around them. A photograph published by the Daily Mail website showed five shirtless men being arrested, Reuters reported. Police had not confirmed by Sunday afternoon whether any explosives were recovered.

Gloucestershire Police declared the major incident shortly after 8am, according to Stars and Stripes. "A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident," the force said. "A cordon is currently in place but we'd like to reassure people that we believe this incident is contained. We are working closely with our partners and are enacting the well-rehearsed plans we have in place."

Whelford

Residents were woken in the early hours and ordered to leave their homes, according to Reuters, and evacuations were under way by about 7am, the Guardian reported. Julian Tudsbery, who has lived in Whelford for 30 years, told the Guardian how the alarm was raised: "Evidently, they phoned the airbase police, who didn't answer the phone. It just rang out so she dialled 999." He told PA Media: "There were several police, three police cars in the drive, and they said you need to evacuate, there's been a major incident." A woman who has lived beside the base perimeter for 50 years told PA Media that heavy military vehicles had recently been parked at the gates and "great big concrete walls" put up at access points.

About 30 emergency vehicles, including police cars, ambulances, fire engines and an incident command vehicle, gathered in the area, and Whelford Road was closed from the edge of the airfield, Swindon24 reported. Armed police blocked access to the main gate of the base and machinery was positioned in front of access points, a Reuters eyewitness said, while a helicopter flew overhead. An ambulance Hazardous Area Response Team was sent to the scene.

Roz Savage, the Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds, said the situation was "worrying" but that the authorities believed it was contained.

Government and US Air Force

Wes Streeting, the defence secretary, said: "We can be reassured that this is being dealt with." He said the incident showed "exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7". He also said: "I would like to thank all those emergency and specialist teams who have acted so swiftly." Streeting has held the post since 20 July, when Andy Burnham formed his first cabinet as prime minister.

A government spokesperson said: "The prime minister is being kept updated on the incident in Gloucestershire." The spokesperson said: "We are grateful to the emergency services, who have acted quickly to detain several suspects," and declined to comment further while the investigation continues.

A US Air Force spokesperson said: "For operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures." The spokesperson told Reuters: "The 501st Combat Support Wing and our fellow UK-based Wings remain vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, civilians, contractors, and their families." The spokesperson said: "We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families." The 501st Combat Support Wing, which runs US operations at Fairford, thanked police for "the swift response and continued support of our local law enforcement partners", Malay Mail reported.

Security at the base

US security at Fairford was raised to FPCON Delta, the highest US force protection condition, on 26 September, the military aviation site The Aviationist reported, with aircraft dispersed across the airfield, crash gates blocked and entry limited to essential personnel. The Times of India also reported the Delta level, and PA Media reported that RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk had been placed on Charlie alert, the second-highest. Reuters cited media reports that security had also been increased at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall. The US Air Force has not confirmed the levels. A Reuters eyewitness said there had been more roadblocks and armed police keeping people away from the base in the days before the arrests, CBS News reported. Police have not said whether the tighter security and the arrests are connected, and have not said whether the vans were targeting the base.

Fairford and the Iran war

RAF Fairford is the US Air Force's only forward operating location in Europe for heavy bombers and is used mainly for deployments of B-1B Lancer, B-2A Spirit and B-52H Stratofortress aircraft. The 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron run the site, which also hosts a detachment of U-2S reconnaissance aircraft. B-52s from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota flew combat missions against Iraq from Fairford in 2003.

The United States and Israel went to war with Iran on 28 February. Keir Starmer, then prime minister, at first refused a request from President Donald Trump to use British bases, then on 1 March authorised US aircraft to use them for "defensive purposes". B-1 and B-52 bombers deployed to Fairford in March. On 20 March the government approved US use of British bases to strike Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported. Burnham kept the arrangement in place after taking office.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement titled "Warning to the British monarchy", reported on 23 July, after B-1 missions from Fairford. "Any base used to invade Iranian territory is our legitimate target," the Guards said. A British government spokesperson said at the time: "Our Armed Forces are ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks."

Police have not said whether the five men are linked to any group or state. British ministers briefed defence companies and critical infrastructure providers on threats from Russia on 25 September, amid government concern about sabotage and cyberattacks; Russia denies mounting hybrid attacks on Western countries. A civilian business jet made an emergency landing at Fairford on 13 September, which was found to be accidental. At RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, the RAF's largest station, two Palestine Action activists broke in on 20 June 2025 and sprayed paint into the engines of two Voyager aircraft; the government proscribed the group under terrorism law in July 2025.