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,
grounded in this article and the 192 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
The public is slowly getting more information about what happened near the RAF Fairford airbase at the weekend - but many questions remain unanswered.
asserted
questions → publish → weekend
We know that two early-morning calls were made to police about suspicious vehicles, and that five men, all British nationals in their 20s, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism offences.
We also know they were later released on bail, and the BBC understands that one of the men was the first 999 caller.
Here is what we know about how the incident unfolded, and what has happened in the days since.
Security increased around RAF Fairford
We now know that in the days leading up to the incident, security was increased around RAF Fairford, one of the UK's most important military sites, which is used by the US Air Force.
There were also reports of heightened police activity around the base on Saturday evening, hours before three suspicious vehicles were reported to police.
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vehicles → know → police
00:45 Sunday - First call to police
Gloucestershire police say they received a call just after midnight on Sunday 27 September about "three suspicious vehicles" that appeared to be travelling towards RAF Fairford.
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that → say → Fairford
The BBC now understands that one of the five men who was later arrested and then bailed had made the call himself.
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who → understand → call
01:36 - Farmer makes second 999 call
Nearly an hour later, a farmer living close to the base called 999 after seeing three vans parked in a "weird formation".
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vans → make → formation
There was "a large group of hooded and masked men" near the vans who started to "panic" when they saw her, she told Radio 4's Today programme.
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she → be → programme
The woman, who has remained anonymous, said she initially tried to contact the Ministry of Defence police at RAF Fairford, but no one picked up, so she dialled 999.
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she → remain → 999
"Within 10 minutes the village was full of armed police," she said.
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she → say → police
Early hours - Five men arrested
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men → arrest → ?
Shortly afterwards - although the exact time is unknown - Gloucestershire Constabulary arrested five men in the Whelford area, a village right next to the base.
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Constabulary → arrest → base
They were arrested on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act.
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They → arrest → Act
A grainy image purporting to show the moment of arrest shows five men sitting on the ground, shirtless and in handcuffs under guard by police officers.
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men → purport → officers
The BBC has been unable to verify the original source, but BBC Verify has geolocated the image and confirmed it appeared to be authentic.
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it → verify → image
08:00 - Major incident declared and homes evacuated
After sunrise, police declared a major incident in Whelford, external and set up a 400m (1,312ft) cordon around the three vehicles.
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police → declare → vehicles
The Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was brought in to examine them, and aerial pictures showed a remote-controlled robot approaching some white vans.
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robot → bring → vans
About 85 households in Whelford were evacuated to a local leisure centre.
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households → evacuate → centre
Some residents said they had been "shaken by the incident" but that "community spirit and local support has been exceptional".
13:50 - Counter-terror police take over
By Sunday afternoon, Counter Terrorism Policing had confirmed it was leading the investigation.
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it → say → investigation
In a statement, it said the five men had been further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
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men → say → act
The investigation was still in its early stages, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said, and the public was asked "to follow official channels for updates" and not to speculate.
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public → say → updates
Sunday afternoon - Trump says suspects had been under investigation
At about 16:00 BST, US President Donald Trump told reporters the arrest of the five suspects was "fantastic" and "an amazing job".
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arrest → say → suspects
"We had them under investigation.
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We → have → investigation
They were looking to do big damage to our fort and working with the British worked out great...
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working → look → British
We had them under view for a long time, and we got them."
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we → have → them
The US is connected to this incident because its air force operates RAF Fairford, and has used the base to carry out strikes against Iran.
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force → connect → Iran
At about noon on Monday, counter-terror police released more information on the five men, external who had been arrested - they were all from London and aged between 23-25.
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they → release → 23
In a statement, Counter Terrorism Policing said they were being held under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) and that a custody extension has been secured.
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extension → say → Act
A cordon remained in place in Whelford.
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cordon → remain → Whelford
16:00 Monday - All five suspects released on bail
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suspects → release → bail
Within hours, however, counter-terror police announced that all five men would be released on police bail after "extensive interviews and enquiries".
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men → announce → interviews
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor stressed that the men were subject to "stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others."
"They absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of enquiry," Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said.
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Taylor → stress → enquiry
Speaking from the White House, Trump questioned the decision, saying he was "surprised that they released them", adding: "I wouldn't have done that."
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I → speak → that
Also on Monday afternoon, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired a Cobra meeting and urged people "not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts".
Taylor defends the decision, saying it was "grounded in experience and careful consideration of policing powers".
Later on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told told Fox News that the incident "clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor", but did not provide evidence or further details.
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incident → chair → evidence
18:00 Tuesday - Police say no explosive devices found
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devices → say → ?
Counter-terror police gave another update on Tuesday evening, saying properties in London had been searched as part of the investigation.
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properties → give → investigation
No further details were given.
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details → give → ?
The three vehicles had also undergone an "extensive examination" with the support of military and forensic experts, Assistant Commissioner Taylor said.
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Taylor → undergo → experts
The Counter Terrorism Policing boss said that no improvised explosive devices were found in the vans, but a "quantity of petrol" was recovered.
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quantity → say → petrol
Wednesday - New details emerge on first 999 call
Three days on, the BBC has learned that one of the men who had been arrested had made the first 999 call.
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who → emerge → call
It remains unclear why the man called police, or what he told them.
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he → remain → them
Also on Wednesday, Gloucestershire Police removed the cordon and reopened the scene.
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Police → remove → scene
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