US President Donald Trump said five men arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire were 'looking to do big damage' after British police responded to a report of three suspicious vans travelling towards the US-used air base on Sunday, 27 September.
The men remain in custody on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and the preparation of a terrorist act under section 5 of the Terrorism Act.
Counter Terrorism Policing said the investigation was still in its early stages and that the incident appeared to be contained. The men have not been named publicly, and police have not confirmed their motive or intended target.
What Donald Trump Claims About RAF Fairford
The arrests followed a report about three large white vans travelling towards RAF Fairford in the early hours of Sunday. Armed officers arrested five men in the nearby Whelford area, while a 400-metre cordon was established around the vehicles.
Around 85 households were evacuated as the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit examined the vans. Police also declared a major incident, although counter-terrorism officers have not described the incident as a confirmed terrorist attack.
Trump told reporters the suspects had been under investigation by British and US authorities.
'It was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job,' he said.
He added, 'We had them under investigation. 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.'
Trump referred to RAF Fairford as "our fort" in the remarks.
Trump's account goes beyond what British investigators have publicly disclosed. Counter Terrorism Policing has confirmed the arrests and the offences under investigation, but has not said that the men had been under surveillance for a long period or explained what information led officers to them.
Vicki Evans, the senior national co-ordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said, 'We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody.'
She added that officers were 'working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident.'
RAF Fairford's Role in the Iran Conflict
RAF Fairford has been used by the United States for operations against Iranian military targets, including strikes on Iranian missile sites that Britain said were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The British government said its armed forces were ready to protect the country from attack.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards had previously warned that any British site used to launch attacks against Iran would be considered a legitimate target. That warning has made the arrests particularly sensitive, but it does not establish that the current suspects targeted RAF Fairford or were acting on behalf of Iran.
A source familiar with the investigation told reporters that an Iranian-linked motive was considered the most likely, while Russian sabotage and an Islamist plot were also being examined. None of those possible motives has been publicly confirmed by police, and no authority has said the suspects were acting on behalf of Iran, Russia or any other organisation.
Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in attacks or alleged plots in Britain and elsewhere. Police have not publicly attributed the incident to any state or organisation.
Security was also increased around other US-linked air bases in Britain. The US Embassy advised American citizens to exercise caution and remain mindful of their personal security, warning of heightened risks around US-associated facilities, gatherings and organisations.
In Fairford, armed officers guarded the base entrance while heavy machinery blocked access points. A bomb-disposal robot was seen operating near the vans, an unusual sight for a quiet Gloucestershire community caught up in a wider military confrontation.
A local farmer said she alerted police after seeing hooded and masked men running into fields near the base.
'I believe that my 999 call foiled whatever plans they had,' she told reporters.
The claim remains the farmer's account and has not been established by investigators.
British Officials Avoid Speculation
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting declined to speculate on the motive while the investigation was continuing.
'This is my first experience as defence secretary of responding live to President Trump and I'm sure it won't be the only occasion,' he said.
Streeting said officials were working closely with American counterparts, including US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. He also said the farmer had only a 'partial picture' of what happened and warned against speculation while the investigation continued.
'We know that Iran and their proxies wish to do us harm. We know that they hate our democracy, and we know that we regularly have to thwart Iranian attempts to threaten either our interests or indeed our allies,' Streeting said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the incident would be deeply concerning for local residents and people following developments across the country. He thanked police and members of the armed forces for their response.
The basic facts are established, five men were arrested, three vans were examined, about 85 households were evacuated and an investigation is under way. What remains unclear is precisely what the men intended, whether explosives were present and what authorities knew before the call that prompted the police response.
That distinction matters. Trump's description has supplied the most dramatic version of events, but the evidence available publicly is still being assembled. For now, the men are suspects, not convicted terrorists, and the investigation has a long way to go.
