British police released the five men on bail Monday after they were arrested on suspicion of plotting to bomb a British air base hosting American forces.
Laurence Taylor, head of Britain’s Counter Terrorism Policing, said the suspects were released but subject to stringent conditions on their movements and contact with others while investigators continue pursuing multiple lines of inquiry.
“I can confirm that following extensive interviews and inquiries, the five men who were arrested are being released on police bail this afternoon,” Taylor said.
“To be very clear, this does not mean that the investigation is over,” he added. “They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others. They absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of inquiry.”
Taylor said the five men had been traveling in three vehicles, which have undergone an extensive examination involving military personnel and forensic experts.
“Overnight, those vehicles have been subject to extensive examination with the support of military assets and forensic experts,” Taylor said.
All five men are British nationals from London in their early to mid-20s.
Taylor also said investigators continued to have “significant resources” deployed at the scene, with a cordon remaining in place Monday as authorities worked to complete their examination.
“We still have significant resources deployed at the scene, and a cordon remains in place while investigators continue their work,” he said.
Authorities hoped to reduce the cordon later Monday and allow evacuated residents to return home.
“I know for the people who call this area and RAF Fairford home that this has been a hugely disruptive incident,” Taylor said. “I thank you for your support and for your patience.”
Taylor did not identify a specific foreign government or group as being responsible. He acknowledged, however, that investigators were examining whether the broader geopolitical situation could have played a role.
“I also know there is significant interest in whether the current geopolitical context has a bearing on this incident,” Taylor said.
Reuters reported that a source familiar with the investigation previously said an Iranian-linked motive was considered the most likely possibility, although investigators were also examining a possible Russian sabotage operation or Islamist plot.
RAF Fairford serves as a forward operating location for the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command and has recently been used to launch B-52 and B-1 bombers targeting Iran.
Iran has denied involvement, with its embassy in London saying it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” what it called “unfounded and malicious speculations” that Tehran was involved.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in July that RAF Fairford was a legitimate target, according to Reuters.
Police arrested five men on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offenses. (Photo by Mehmet Yaren Bozgun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Be assured, we are considering this from every possible angle, including that this may be actively committed by proxies or individuals either knowingly or unknowingly working on behalf of a foreign state,” Taylor said.
The investigation began early Sunday morning when a local farmer driving home from a party spotted three suspicious white vans near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
She told The Telegraph that she turned her car around and saw a group of masked men, some wearing balaclavas, scattering into nearby trees and fields, with some appearing to run toward the air base.
“I just thought what the hell are they doing… I saw a group of Middle Eastern-looking young guys running off through the trees,” the farmer said. “Some of them had masks or balaclavas on, and they all scattered ahead of us as we drove back past.”
“Some of them ran into the fields, and some of them turned to run towards the air base,” she said. “We realized this was something pretty serious.”
The farmer called police and also sent a message to a local WhatsApp group warning residents to lock their doors.
Armed officers responded and arrested the five men initially on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act. They were later arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act.
Police established a 400-meter perimeter around the vans while the British Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit examined the vehicles. Approximately 85 households were evacuated as a precaution.
President Donald Trump praised the arrests Sunday and said the United States had worked with British authorities on the case.
“The arrest in the UK was fantastic,” Trump told reporters. “Working with Britain, it was an amazing job. We had them under investigation.”
Trump said the suspects were “looking to do big damage” and that the group had been under watch “for a long time.”
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