Story summary
A cricket game near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire was interrupted by armed guards who warned of a "live incident" at around 4:30 PM last Saturday. Eight hours later, at 12:45 AM on Sunday, police received a call about suspicious activity involving masked men and three vans in nearby Whelford, leading to an arrest operation. Five British nationals, all in their twenties from London, were subsequently arrested for suspected explosives offenses and preparing a terrorist act. Counter Terrorism Policing conducted extensive examinations of the vehicles with military and forensic support, finding no improvised explosive devices but recovering some petrol. One of the men reportedly called the police himself. The circumstances surrounding their intentions are still under investigation.
Written for “Cricket Game Interrupted By Terror Pl…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
A family playing cricket near RAF Fairford were ordered away by armed guards who warned them there was a 'live incident' - eight hours before five men were arrested over a suspected terror plot.
asserted
men → play → plot
The warning came at around 4.30pm last Saturday, as security at the US-linked airbase was heightened following intelligence suggesting an attack could be possible.
uncertain
attack → come → intelligence
The family had been playing near the perimeter when two armed guards suddenly ran towards the fence and told them to leave.
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guards → play → them
One of the cricketers said: 'We'd played the evening before with no issue, but on Saturday two guards ran to the fence with guns and said: "You can't be here.
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You → say → guns
The warning came more than eight hours before police received a 999 call about suspicious activity in nearby Whelford at 12.45am on Sunday.
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police → come → Sunday
A woman returning to the village reported seeing masked men and three suspicious vans, prompting a major armed police operation around the Gloucestershire base.
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woman → return → base
Five men, all British nationals in their twenties and from London, were subsequently arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and the preparation of a terrorist act.
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men → arrest → act
Three white vans are investigated by a robot after the alleged plot near RAF Fairford last Sunday
Five men are arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire yesterday
The new account of the cricket match, revealed by The Sun, raises fresh questions about what was known at RAF Fairford in the hours before the police operation.
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what → investigate → operation
Residents in nearby Dunfield also described hearing a public-address announcement inside the base on Saturday evening, followed by the apparent disappearance of staff.
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Residents → describe → staff
One resident said: 'It's obvious the Americans, knew something way before us.
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Americans → say → us
But if it affects them, it affects us.
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it → affect → us
'We're frustrated and scared at the lack of correspondence from the base and UK authorities.'
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We → frustrate → base
It is understood families connected to the base left during the emergency and have subsequently only been allowed to return to collect belongings.
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families → understand → belongings
The events unfolded against a backdrop of heightened security around RAF Fairford, which has been used by US forces in military operations against Iran.
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which → unfold → Iran
The airbase was already considered a potential target amid the escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.
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airbase → consider → Washington
In the early hours of Sunday, the female farmer who raised the alarm told police she had seen masked men and three vans close to her home.
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men → raise → home
Armed officers rushed to the scene and arrested the five suspects.
Counter Terrorism Policing later said the vehicles had undergone extensive examination with military and forensic support.
One of the three vans near RAF Fairford had 'Fuel 2You' printed on its exterior in red text - it is not thought to be associated with a real company
US Air Force bomberson the tarmac at RAF Fairford base in Fairford today
No improvised explosive devices were found, although a quantity of petrol was recovered.
One of the men involved is said to have called police himself.
The circumstances surrounding the men's intentions remain under investigation.
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circumstances → rush → investigation
US President Donald Trump has previously said American authorities had been watching the suspects for 'a long time', while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested a foreign actor could have been involved.
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actor → say → State
British counter-terrorism chiefs have stressed that they are keeping an open mind and are examining every possible angle, including possible foreign-state involvement.
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they → stress → involvement
All five men were released on police bail but remain under investigation and are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others.
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men → release → others
The investigation then widened when a sixth suspect was arrested in Westminster on Thursday.
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suspect → widen → Thursday
The 25-year-old dual British-Iranian national was held on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts, while two properties in the area were searched.
He was released on police bail yesterday, with Counter Terrorism Policing confirming that the investigation into the events near RAF Fairford remains ongoing.
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investigation → hold → Fairford
Around 85 households in Whelford were evacuated during the initial police operation, while a large cordon was put in place as bomb disposal experts examined the three vans.
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experts → evacuate → vans
Police have not established publicly whether the suspects were actually planning an attack on RAF Fairford, or what they intended to do with the petrol found in the vehicles.
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they → establish → vehicles
The base had been on high alert after receiving intelligence suggesting that an attack was possible.
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attack → receive → intelligence
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