Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Five British men arrested near RAF Fairford have been released on police bail while counterterrorism officers continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of three vans near the Gloucestershire air base.
The men, all London residents in their 20s, were arrested early Sunday after police were alerted to suspicious vehicles and the presence of several masked individuals in the village of Whelford. They were initially detained under the Explosives Act before later being arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism.
Authorities have not charged any of the men. Police said they remain under investigation and are subject to strict conditions governing their movements and contact with other people. Laurence Taylor, the head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, said the decision to release the suspects did not signal the end of the inquiry.
“Following extensive interviews and inquiries, the five men who were arrested are being released on police bail,” Taylor told reporters. “This does not mean that the investigation is over.”
He said detectives were examining several possible explanations for the incident, including whether the men had acted independently, had been connected to a militant organization or had knowingly or unknowingly been working on behalf of a foreign state.
The three vans were examined by military and forensic specialists after police established a large cordon around them. About 85 homes in the surrounding area were evacuated as bomb-disposal experts assessed material found inside the vehicles.
Testing has since indicated that the material was not viable explosive material, according to reports citing police and security sources. The finding has reduced fears that the vehicles contained a functioning bomb, although investigators have not publicly explained what the material was or why it was being transported.
Residents were later allowed to return to their homes, but police said a cordon remained around the vehicles as further searches and forensic work continued.
The arrests prompted a major emergency response. Armed officers attended the scene, while military explosive-ordnance specialists used a robot to examine the vans. The incident also led to heightened security around RAF Fairford, a British-owned base used by the United States Air Force.
The base has attracted particular attention because of its role in American military operations and its association with long-range bomber aircraft. Officials have not confirmed that the suspected activity was directed at aircraft or personnel at the base.
A local woman who discovered the vehicles while returning home from a party called emergency services after seeing unusual activity near the airfield. She later said she had seen a larger group of masked men moving in the area and questioned whether all of those involved had been detained.
The woman criticized suggestions that she did not understand the wider circumstances. She said no official had contacted her after her initial emergency call and argued that the presence of multiple vans and masked people near a military facility was sufficient reason for concern.
Government ministers praised her decision to alert police but declined to discuss operational details because the investigation remains active. Officials have also rejected speculation that the arrests were the result of a long-planned police operation.
US President Donald Trump said authorities had known about the suspects and claimed they had been under observation. British officials have not publicly confirmed those remarks. The comments have raised questions about whether American and British agencies possessed prior intelligence about the men or whether Trump was referring to separate information.
Iran has categorically denied involvement. Its embassy in London described claims linking Tehran to the arrests as unfounded and malicious speculation. The embassy accused commentators of using the incident to intensify anti-Iranian sentiment and said Iran reserved the right to pursue legal action over what it called misleading media coverage.
British officials have emphasized that no conclusions have been reached about the motive. Counterterrorism officers are considering whether the incident could have involved a foreign-backed operation, a decoy, a hoax, activism or an unrelated criminal act.
The case comes amid heightened concern in Britain about hostile-state activity and threats linked to conflicts in the Middle East. Security agencies have previously warned that foreign governments or proxy groups could seek to target military facilities, political institutions and communities in the United Kingdom.
For residents near Whelford, however, the immediate emergency has eased. The evacuated homes have reopened, and authorities say the area is safe for people to return. The investigation continues, with detectives expected to examine phone records, travel movements, surveillance footage and the contents of the vans as they seek to establish why the men were near RAF Fairford and whether anyone else was involved.
