UK police arrested five men close to an airbase in England that supports US long-range bombers on suspicion of terror and explosives offenses.
Army bomb disposal units remain at the scene while dozens of houses nearby have been evacuated as a precaution with the investigation ongoing.
The arrests followed information received from residents in the area soon after midnight, according to Richard Ocone, a senior detective in the county of Gloucestershire. Authorities have not identified the men and have not disclosed any possible motive.
A senior officer in Counter Terrorism Policing, Vicki Evans, confirmed: “We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody. As you would expect we are working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident.”
In addition to the suspected explosives offenses, the men face further arrest on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, according to counter-terrorism police. Counter-terrorism laws permit UK police to hold suspects for up to 14 days before they are charged.
US President Donald Trump called the arrests “fantastic,” stating that the US and the UK had monitored the men for “a long time.”
“Working with Britain, it was an amazing job,” Trump told reporters in Chicago. “They were looking to do big damage to our fort and working with the British worked out great.”
“We had them under view for a long time, and we got them,” he said.
Aerial footage appears to show a bomb disposal robot moving between three white vans in woods near the base. The rear doors of two of the vans stood open and large black items could be seen scattered around.
The Daily Mail published video purporting to show several individuals under arrest at the scene in the early hours of Sunday, local time. They appear to be shirtless with their arms behind their backs.
A local resident told CNN that she heard helicopters over the village at 2am, and bomb squad vehicles arrived about an hour later.
Whelford lies close to the Royal Air Force base at Fairford, which has hosted US B-1 bombers involved in targeting Iran and serves as a forward operating location for US Global Strike Command, the organization responsible for managing long-distance strikes.
A US air force spokesperson at Fairford – where the 501st Combat Support Wing is based – told CNN: “For operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures.”
The unit “remains vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, civilians, contractors, and their families,” the spokesperson said.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham thanked emergency services on Sunday for their assistance, and local residents for their understanding as “precautionary checks are carried out.”
“I know today’s incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country,” Burnham posted on X.
Earlier Sunday, a government spokesperson said the prime minister was receiving updates on the incident.
“We are grateful to the emergency services, who have acted quickly to detain several suspects and put measures in place to keep the community safe,” the spokesperson said.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing.”
“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with, and it is exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7,” said UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting.
The incident serves as a reminder of the “threats that this country faces on a daily basis,” the UK’s PA Media news agency cited Streeting as saying.
One local resident, who asked not to be identified, told PA Media that heightened security precautions had surrounded the base in recent weeks.
“They have put heavy, very heavy, vehicles across all gates… very big tractors and things like that,” the resident said.
Another resident told CNN that the base appeared to have been on lockdown recently. “It’s been like a ghost town all week,” they said.
In March, the UK government granted the US air force permission to use Fairford to carry out strikes on Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Months later, the UK declared its armed forces ready to protect the country from any attack after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a warning over allowing US bombers to fly from UK bases.
“Our Armed Forces are ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks, whether it’s on our soil or from abroad. The UK stands ready 24/7 to defend itself,” a government spokesperson said.
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