Andy Burnham stated there are "strong indications" suggesting Iranian involvement in a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, where five men were arrested and later released on bail for explosives offenses and terrorism. Prime Minister Burnham confirmed that Iran is one of the main focuses of the investigation, though he stressed that it remains an active police matter. The incident has drawn attention due to recent US bomber activities from RAF Fairford against Iranian targets, leading some to speculate about potential proxy involvement by Iran in the UK.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-30,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
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.
Andy Burnham today claimed there are 'strong indications' that Iran was involved in the suspected terror plot near an RAF base used by the US.
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Iran → claim → US
Five men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism after the incident close to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Sunday before being bailed.
The base has been used in recent months by US bombers to launch air strikes against Iran which has been at the centre of speculation about whether it was involved in the drama, including by tasking proxies to carry out crimes on their behalf on UK soil.
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it → arrest → soil
Potential involvement by Iran is one of the main lines of inquiry for investigators, given that the country has used proxies in the past to carry out acts in Britain.
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country → give → Britain
Iran's London embassy has fiercely denied any involvement in the incident, but Prime Minister Mr Burnham told GB News today: 'So what I can say is there are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend.
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what → deny → weekend
So I hope you'll understand that I don't say more at this point, but I wanted to confirm what we could say.
uncertain
we → hope → what
But this will continue now.
asserted
this → continue → ?
It's obviously a very serious investigation involving our colleagues in the United States, and we are working very closely with them.
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we → involve → them
And I will say more when I can.
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I → say → more
'Obviously, I've been dealing with this as I've been here in Liverpool, we have held a Cobra meeting here during the week.
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we → deal → week
We are completely on top of things, but we will say more when we can.'
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we → say → more
The five British men are arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire early on Sunday
Police officers guard an area near RAF Fairford yesterday as roadblocks remain in place
The moment a police robot blasts the doors off one of the vans that was found near the base
A fireball bursts from the rear of one of the vans before a huge plume of smoke rises into the air
Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned in July that any base used in strikes would be a legitimate target.
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base → arrest → strikes
That came after the Iranian ambassador to London, Seyed Ali Mousavi, said the decision to allow American bombers to launch from RAF Fairford had become an 'important matter for our self-defence'.
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bombers → come → defence
On Sunday, the farmer who alerted the authorities said one of the three vans had suspicious lettering on the side which appeared to be fake.
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which → alert → side
The van carried branding for 'Fuel 2You' – unrelated to a real mobile fuel delivery company, Beaconsfield-based 'Fuel2U', which uses green and black branding.
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which → carry → branding
It has also been noted that the phone number displayed beneath the company name – 0742 418 2599 – was spaced in a format predominantly used in Iran.
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number → note → Iran
Others pointed out how it was odd to use a red logo for a business supplying fuel, when the colour of petrol pumps in the UK is green.
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colour → point → UK
It comes as a video revealed the moment a police robot blasted the doors off one of the vans that was found near the base.
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that → come → base
The clip, exclusively obtained by the Daily Mail, was captured on a resident's security camera and shows a fireball bursting from the rear of one of the white vehicles before a huge plume of smoke rises into the air.
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plume → obtain → air
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that one of the five men arrested over the plot had called the police before they were detained.
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they → reveal → police
One of the three vans near RAF Fairford had 'Fuel 2You' printed on its exterior in red text
The 'Fuel 2You' branding raising suspicions the men may have been transporting red diesel
The three white vans are investigated by a robot after the alleged plot near RAF Fairford
A van belonging to the real company 'Fuel 2U' – in no way linked to the RAF Fairford incident
uncertain
van → print → incident
The suspect phoned police around an hour before a farmer said she called 999 at 1.36am on Sunday after discovering three vans blocking a road near the base.
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vans → phone → base
The five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, were subsequently arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism.
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nationals → arrest → offences
The development, first reported by The Times, again led US President Donald Trump to comment on the security operation, saying he was 'disappointed' about the release of the men on bail.
It has also emerged that petrol, but no explosives, were found in the vans which sparked the security alert in the village of Whelford.
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which → report → Whelford
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday that the suspected plot 'clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor', but refused to provide further details, and Mr Trump has also said the alleged plot 'might be' linked to Iran.
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plot → say → Iran
Head of UK counter-terrorism policing assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor said yesterday that a police response was activated in the early hours of Sunday 'due to a range of information that we received'.
Mr Taylor said the vehicles have been examined, adding: 'We can confirm that no improvised explosive devices have been found.
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devices → say → that
We have found a quantity of an accelerant, petrol, and we have recovered that as part of our investigation.'
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we → find → investigation
He said the five suspects released on bail 'remain under investigation' and 'must adhere to very strict conditions'.
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suspects → say → conditions
The Aporia
