Five Arrested at RAF Fairford on Suspicion of Preparing Terrorist Attack
September 28, 2026 · Frisian News
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Counter-terrorism police arrested five men near RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, in the early hours of Sunday after three suspicious vehicles were spotted heading toward the US strategic-bomber base. Investigators are probing a link to the Iranian regime that British authorities have not publicly confirmed.
Five men are in custody after counter-terrorism police arrested them near RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism.
Police were alerted at around 12:45 a.m. to three suspicious vehicles apparently heading toward the base, according to a Metropolitan Police statement. Armed officers detained the men in the nearby village of Whelford, first on suspicion of explosives offences, then rearrested them under preparation-of-terrorist-act laws. About 85 households were evacuated as a precaution. A 400-metre cordon was established around the vehicles while Army bomb disposal specialists examined them.
Officers stripped the suspects down after suspecting they might be wearing suicide vests, the New York Post reported. A nearby recreation centre was opened to house displaced residents.
RAF Fairford serves as a forward operating location for the US Air Force Global Strike Command. The Daily Wire reported the base has recently been used to launch B-52 and B-1 bombers targeting Iran.
The Telegraph reported that British authorities are investigating a potential link between the five suspects and the Iranian regime. In August, a source described by the Daily Wire as close to the Iranian regime issued an explicit warning: "Should the US go too far, Iran will defend itself at any price, go beyond the region and hit Europe, too."
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the service's senior national coordinator, said in a Metropolitan Police statement: "We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody." She added that officers were working with Gloucestershire Police "to gather evidence from the scene." US European Command told the Daily Wire it was working closely with UK counterparts but would not discuss force protection measures "for operational security reasons."
President Donald Trump confirmed transatlantic cooperation and praised the outcome. "The arrest in the UK was fantastic," he told reporters on Sunday, according to the Daily Wire. "Working with Britain, it was an amazing job. We had them under investigation." Trump described the suspects as "looking to do big damage" and said the group had been under watch "for a long time."
Gloucestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone confirmed that emergency services had plans in place for major incidents. "A cordon is in place as a precaution and the public can expect to see an emergency services presence in the area for some time," he said.
FryskFiif manlju sitte yn bewaring neidat plysje foar terrorismebestriding harren arrestearre hat by RAF Fairford, yn Gloucestershire, op fertinking fan it tariedzjen fan in terroristyske oanfal.
De plysje waard om sawat 12:45 oere yn 'e nacht warskôge foar trije fertochte rydtugen dy't blykber op wei wiene nei de basis, neffens in ferklearring fan de Metropolitan Police. Bewapene aginten holden de manlju yn it neistlizzende doarp Whelford tsjin, earst op fertinking fan delinkten mei eksplosiven, en arrestearren harren dêrnei opnij op grûn fan wetten oer it tariedzjen fan terroristyske oanslaggen. Sawat 85 húshâldens waarden as foarsoarchsmaatregel evakuearre. In kordon fan 400 meter waard om de rydtugen hinne ynsetten, wylst spesjalisten fan it Leger dy't eksplosiven ûnskeadelik meitsje harren ûndersochten.
Aginten lieten de fertochten harren klean útdwaan om't sy it fermeden dat se mooglik eksplosieven om it lichem droegen, sa melde de New York Post. In neistlizzend rekreaasjesintrum waard iepene om ferpleatste bewenners op te fangen.
RAF Fairford tsjinnet as foarste operaasjepunt foar it US Air Force Global Strike Command. De Daily Wire melde dat de basis koartlyn brûkt waard om B-52- en B-1-bommenwerpers út te stjoeren dy't rjochte wiene op Iran.
De Telegraph melde dat Britske autoriteiten in mooglike bân tusken de fiif fertochten en it Iraanske rezjym ûndersykje. Yn augustus joech in boarne dy't troch de Daily Wire omskreaun waard as tichtby it Iraanske rezjym in eksplisite warskôging: "Mocht de FS te fier gean, dan sil Iran himsels op alle kosten ferdigenje, de regio oerstige en ek Europa treffe."
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, de senior nasjonale koördinator fan de tsjinst, sei yn in ferklearring fan de Metropolitan Police: "Wy sitte yn 'e iere faze fan in ûndersyk, en fiif manlju sitte noch yn bewaring." Se foege dêraan ta dat aginten gearwurkjen mei Gloucestershire Police "om bewiis fan it plak fan it delikt te sammeljen." US European Command fertelde de Daily Wire dat it nau gearwurke mei Britske kollega's, mar dat it gjin besprekking fiere soe oer maatregel foar de beskerming fan troepen "om redenen fan operasjonele feiligens."
Presidint Donald Trump befêstige de transatlantyske gearwurking en priizge it resultaat. "De arrestaasje yn it Feriene Keninkryk wie fantastysk," sei er snein tsjin sjoernalisten, neffens de Daily Wire. "Gearwurkjend mei Brittanje wie it in geweldich stik wurk. Wy hienen harren ûnder ûndersyk." Trump omskreaun de fertochten as minsken dy't "grutte skea tariede wiene" en sei dat de groep "in lange tiid" yn 'e gaten holden wie.
Gloucestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone befêstige dat needtsjinsten plannen klear hienen foar grutte ynsidenten. "In kordon leit as foarsoarchsmaatregel op syn plak en it publyk kin ferwachtsje dat needtsjinsten noch in skoftke yn it gebiet sichtber binne," sei er.
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Published September 28, 2026 · Frisian News