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Dozens of homes near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, a base used by United States military aircraft, were evacuated after police detained a group of suspects on suspicion of breaching the Explosive Substances Act, Gloucestershire Police said.
Authorities declared a major incident and evacuated houses in the village of Whelford, adjacent to the base, while British Army bomb disposal teams examined several vehicles in the area. Evacuated residents were moved to a nearby sports hall, and the area was placed under a security cordon.
The National Health Service's Hazardous Area Response Team was also deployed to the village. The base itself, used by the US military, was raised to "Delta," the highest force protection level, and heavy vehicles, construction equipment and tractors were parked side by side across its entrances.
Gloucestershire Deputy Chief Constable Richard Ocone told a news conference that police received a report at 12:45 a.m. of three suspicious vehicles heading toward RAF Fairford. The three vehicles were stopped and five suspects were detained, he said.
All five men face allegations of breaching the Explosive Substances Act, and their cases remain under investigation, Ocone said, adding that a 400-meter security cordon was established around the stopped vehicles.
Ocone said 85 homes had been evacuated, with residents unable to make other arrangements taken to a local sports hall. He said authorities were working to allow evacuated residents to return home as soon as possible and urged the public not to give credence to speculation, instead relying on official statements.
Police, fire, military and local council officials held a further joint news conference in the evening. Acting Chief Constable Maggie Blyth said the three vehicles being examined were minibuses, and confirmed the security cordon around the evacuated homes and the vehicles would not be lifted overnight, meaning displaced residents would not be able to return to their homes that night.
She said counterterrorism police were leading the investigation under conditions of confidentiality, and that any determination on whether the incident amounted to an attempted terrorist attack would be announced by counterterrorism police.
Gloucestershire deputy council leader David Stanley said temporary accommodation had been arranged for residents unable to return home overnight.
The Daily Mail reported additional details of the arrests on its website, citing an account from a woman returning home who said she spotted three minibuses parked in a secluded spot.
The newspaper reported she found the movements of masked individuals around the vehicles suspicious and posted a warning in a Whelford village social media messaging group, urging residents to be cautious and lock their doors.
Police arrived at the scene roughly 25 minutes after her report and detained the suspects, according to the newspaper.
Sky News, citing official sources, reported that counterterrorism police were examining possible Iranian connections to the suspects. The Telegraph reported that sources described a suspected attack linked to Iran as the leading line of inquiry.
According to the material provided, US military aircraft have used RAF Fairford since February 28, when Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran. Britain has said the base is used by the United States for defensive purposes, while think tanks including Chatham House and independent analysts have suggested it has also been used for offensive operations.
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