Story summary
In recent days, security measures at RAF Fairford, a U.S. Air Force base in Gloucestershire, England, significantly increased with armed police and roadblocks preventing access to the base. On Sunday morning, British police declared a major incident after suspicious vehicles were reported near the airbase; five UK nationals in their 20s were arrested and later released on bail for terror offenses under suspicion of involvement with explosives.
Local residents noted heavy vehicles and concrete barriers blocking entrances to the base weeks before the incident. Around 30 emergency vehicles, including police cars, ambulances, and fire engines, were stationed near the base during heightened security measures. The arrests occurred amid increased tensions between the U.S., Iran, and the UK; Iranian officials have denied involvement.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested a "foreign actor" was involved, linking it to threats from adversaries like Iran, while British Prime Minister Andy Burnham indicated there are strong indications that Iran played a role in the incident, despite ongoing investigations. The U.K. and U.S. have been closely cooperating on this matter, with Burnham stating they were “on top of it.”
Written for “RAF Fairford Terror Plot Incident” on 2026-10-05,
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A suspected terror plot against an RAF base used by American forces to bomb Iran 'clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor', US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted, amid controversy over the release of five suspects.
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Rubio → see → suspects
The men, all in their twenties and from London, remain under investigation, Counter Terrorism Policing said, while Tehran has 'categorically' denied any involvement in the alleged plot.
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Tehran → remain → plot
The suspects, aged between 23 and 25, were detained outside the Gloucestershire air base and stripped of their clothes amid fears they were wearing suicide belts in the early hours of Sunday morning.
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they → age → morning
But within 36 hours they were bailed.
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they → bail → hours
In a television interview, Mr Rubio mentioned Iran by name, noting that the regime had previously threatened to target US interests.
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regime → mention → interests
However, he stopped short of directly blaming Tehran for the incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
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he → stop → Gloucestershire
Iran dismissed the allegation as a 'slur', while Donald Trump suggested the five men were already known to the authorities and said he was 'surprised' they had been released.
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they → dismiss → authorities
Mr Rubio described the events near RAF Fairford as a 'very serious situation' and thanked British authorities for their response, saying they had been 'very cooperative and very helpful'.
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they → describe → response
He added that 'a lot of people are disturbed' by the decision to grant bail to the five suspects arrested in connection with the alleged plot.
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lot → add → plot
The British nationals were detained on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offences on Sunday after three vans were found near RAF Fairford, a Gloucestershire base that has been used by the US military to carry out strikes against Iran.
Residents from around 85 evacuated households were allowed to return home on Monday.
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Residents → detain → Monday
However, a police cordon remained in place around the vehicles as counter-terrorism officers continued to examine the scene.
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officers → remain → scene
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has claimed the RAF Fairford incident 'clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor'
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incident → claim → actor
Five men were pictured as police arrested them on terror charges near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
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police → picture → Gloucestershire
They are all British, from London, and in their 20s, police said - and have all been since released on bail
It is understood that the material found was not viable explosives, but police have said the investigation is continuing.
Speaking to Fox News, Mr Rubio said: 'I have to be careful.
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I → say → News
There's some things I cannot say on the air for a lot of different reasons.
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I → be → reasons
'Suffice it to say that what happened, what almost happened, what could have happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation.
'
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happened → suffice → weekend
It's one that clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor.
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that → involve → actor
I won't get into great detail about that yet.
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I → get → that
I do want to thank the authorities in the United Kingdom who have been very cooperative and on top of it.'
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who → want → it
He added: 'I know a lot of people are disturbed by the news that some of these people have been released on bail, as some of the people are being investigated and obviously we're engaging with them on all of that.
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we → add → that
Beyond that, I would argue that they've been very cooperative and very helpful on something that's a very serious incident.'
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that → argue → something
Mr Rubio went on: 'I think it ties us to the reality here, and that is we are dealing with elements in the world, and in the case of Iran, for example, who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally.
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who → go → interests
We're going to always take that very seriously.
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We → go → that
There'll be repercussions for that if it ever were to happen or even attempted.
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it → happen → that
But what happened this weekend could have been and was, I think, a very serious threat.
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I → happen → ?
I want to thank the UK for their cooperation and their help on it.
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I → want → it
There's a lot more news that'll come out on this in the days to come, but there's only so much I can say right now at this point about it, other than this was a very serious thing and it was responded to appropriately.'
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it → be → it
Donald Trump expressed his shock that five British men were released on bail.
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men → express → bail
Experts feared it could be a huge vehicle bomb capable of 'massive' destruction.
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it → fear → destruction
But testing has now revealed that it is not explosive material, according to sources.
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it → reveal → sources
Evacuated residents have since been able to return though a cordon remains in place around the three vehicles, Gloucestershire Police said this evening.
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Police → evacuate → vehicles
One local businesswoman complained the arrested men had been bailed and potentially allowed back to their homes before local residents in Whelford had.
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residents → complain → Whelford
Laura Stitt, 40, said: 'The main concern is it has been de-escalated very quickly from being potential terrorism.
'
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it → say → ?
The men arrested have been allowed to return to their homes before we can return to ours.
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we → arrest → ours
There is a lot of confusion as to what it was about.'
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it → be → what
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances to establish whether the five men may have participated in a Tehran-backed hoax, decoy or potential dummy run in preparation for a possible terror attack.
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men → continue → attack
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor stressed that officers were still looking at potential hostile state involvement as the force added it was considering 'every possible angle' including the use of proxies.
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it → stress → proxies
The farmer said she thought the vans were suspicious because a phone number and lettering on the vehicles appeared to be fake.
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number → say → vehicles
When she came across them in her car, they fled
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they → come → car
Mr Taylor told reporters outside New Scotland Yard: 'I can confirm that, following extensive interviews and inquiries, the five men who were arrested are being released on police bail this afternoon.
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who → tell → bail
…and 6 more, not listed.
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