Nocturnal 
Five men remain in custody and dozens of families have been evacuated from their homes after a “major incident” was declared near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Sunday morning.
Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation after the men were arrested on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act, and were then further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act.
Here’s everything we know so far.
What happened
Gloucestershire Police said they received a call at around 00:45 BST on Sunday relating to three “suspicious vehicles” that appeared to be travelling towards the base. Armed officers were sent to the scene and five men were arrested in the nearby village of Whelford.
A 400-metre cordon was put in place around the vehicles, and the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, along with a Hazardous Area Response Team, has been examining three vans using a robot. Aerial footage broadcast by the BBC showed the robot approaching the vehicles.
As a precaution, around 85 households in Whelford were evacuated and taken to a leisure centre in Cirencester, roughly 10 miles away. Local resident Julian Tudsbury told the BBC that a neighbour had reported the suspicious vans to police “straight away”.
The Sun reported that officers found suspected incendiary devices and chemicals inside one of the vans, though this detail has not been confirmed by other outlets and should be treated as unverified for now.
Who is investigating, and what have police said
Counter Terrorism Policing, working alongside Gloucestershire Police, is now leading the inquiry, with reports it is receiving support from MI5. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said: “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.”
She added: “We continue to work with Gloucestershire Police to keep the community safe as we work to gather evidence from the scene.”
Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone said “work to establish the full nature of the incident is ongoing” and thanked residents for their co-operation, acknowledging the disruption caused. Police believe the incident is currently contained.
Why RAF Fairford matters
RAF Fairford, on the Gloucestershire-Wiltshire border, is primarily used by the United States Air Force and has served as a forward operating base for USAF bombers since the UK’s involvement in the conflict with Iran began in February. Four USAF bombers landed there in March after then prime minister Sir Keir Starmer approved “defensive” US action from British bases.
A USAF spokesperson said personnel “remain vigilant” but declined to detail specific force protection measures. Cornwall Live reported that intelligence suggested the base had been placed on FPCON Delta, the Pentagon’s highest force-protection alert level, though this has not been officially confirmed.
A government spokesperson said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was receiving regular updates, adding it would be “inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing”. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting thanked emergency and specialist teams for acting swiftly, saying people “can be reassured” the incident was being dealt with.
Where things stand now
All five men remain in custody as investigations continue, and no charges have yet been announced. The cordon and evacuations remained in place as bomb disposal teams continued examining the vehicles. The BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner noted the incident comes amid a rise in so-called “hybrid warfare” incidents across Europe. Nocturnal News will update this story as more details emerge.
