Five men have been arrested on suspicion of explosive and terrorism offences following a major incident declared near the Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Fairford in Gloucestershire, west of England. The arrests occurred after police were alerted to suspicious vehicles traveling towards the airbase in the early hours of Sunday. Bomb disposal teams were subsequently deployed to examine a number of vehicles, and a significant cordon was established in the vicinity.

RAF Fairford, located in the Cotswolds, has a notable history of use by the American military and has recently served as a staging post for U.S. warplanes conducting operations. The incident is being treated as a counter-terrorism investigation, with Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) taking the lead. The operation was reportedly not intelligence-led, according to BBC sources.

Gloucestershire Police stated they received a call at 00:45 BST on Sunday regarding three suspicious vehicles heading towards the base. Officers later arrested five men near Whelford, a village approximately two miles southeast of RAF Fairford. A bomb disposal unit was dispatched to the village to assess several vehicles within a 400-meter cordon. Aerial footage reportedly showed a remote-controlled robot approaching two white vans in a wooded area, though police have not confirmed this detail.

The arrested men were initially detained under the Explosives Act before being further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. They remain in custody and have not been named. Under the Terrorism Act 2000, suspects can be held for up to 14 days without charge, a significantly longer period than the standard 24-hour limit.

Temporary Chief Constable Maggie Blyth of Gloucestershire Police indicated that the large emergency service presence in the area would persist for several days as they continue to support the CTP investigation and liaise with national partners. Blyth stated that the declaration of a terrorist incident would be left to CTP. She also suggested that she believed the matter was contained and police were not actively seeking other individuals.

The U.S. military confirmed it was working closely with its UK counterparts to monitor the situation, minimize impacts, and ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, their families, and the local community. The scale of the emergency response highlighted the seriousness with which the incident is being treated by authorities.

While the exact nature of the threat or the specific targets remains undisclosed, the involvement of bomb disposal teams and the counter-terrorism unit underscores the potential severity of the situation. The arrests and subsequent investigation have understandably caused concern within the local community, leading to evacuations of dozens of homes surrounding the incident area.

Questions remain regarding the specific findings of the bomb disposal teams and the full scope of the alleged terrorist plot. Authorities have emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and further details will be released as they become available and as appropriate for national security.