Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) has confirmed that no improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were found in the three vans linked to the five men arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, although petrol was recovered. 'We are continuing to reduce the investigative scenes around RAF Fairford, and by tomorrow we anticipate we will have closed them down completely,' said Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor.
'This will be an important step towards restoring normality for the local community,' Taylor said in an update. 'Those vehicles have been subject to extensive examination, with the support of military assets and forensic experts, and we can confirm that no improvised explosive devices were found. However, a quantity of petrol was recovered.'
Trump: We Would Not Have Released Them
US President Donald Trump was surprised by the development, claiming he had intelligence on the suspects. 'We were involved in (the investigation), but as you know, your fellow countrymen, let them go,' Trump said at the White House.
'We know everything about them. We would not have released them,' Trump also said. Earlier, Trump commended the UK for 'doing an amazing' job in arresting the five men on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act early Sunday, 27 September 2026.
'As part of the investigation, we have searched properties in London which I can confirm have concluded,' Taylor said, confirming that searches of properties in London had been completed.
🚨 WATCH: Donald Trump says the RAF Fairford suspects should have not been bailed
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) September 28, 2026
"We know everything about them. We would have not released them" pic.twitter.com/3IoZDdquNj
🇬🇧 A village next to RAF Fairford has been evacuated for explosives, the same base Iran reportedly threatened to strike.
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 27, 2026
RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is the only place in Europe where the U.S keeps heavy bombers ready to fly.
In March, it briefly hosted 21 of them, B1… https://t.co/Wew39Y7fn2
One of the Suspects Made the Call
According to The Times, one of the suspects called 999 to report the incident. 'A farmer driving home in the early hours of Sunday morning saw the vans, surrounded by men in balaclavas, and alerted police at 1.36am However, The Times understands the authorities were already on the scene by then because the suspect had called nearly one hour earlier,' the report stated.
EXCLUSIVE - RAF Fairford plot was foiled when one of the suspects phoned police himself.
— Fiona Hamilton (@Fhamiltontimes) September 29, 2026
“A farmer driving home in the early hours of Sunday morning saw the vans, surrounded by men in balaclavas, and alerted police at 1.36am. However, The Times understands the authorities were…
One of the suspects in the RAF Fairford ‘terror plot’ called police himself on 999, according to The Times. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any weirder…
— Patrick Christys (@PatrickChristys) September 29, 2026
Police are reportedly investigating the motive for the call while continuing to examine the possibility of Iranian proxies being involved. Taylor did not mention that one of the suspects had called to alert police, but said: 'A police response was activated in the early hours of Sunday morning due to a range of information received, including a call from a member of the public about several vehicles acting suspiciously close to RAF Fairford.'
Taylor admitted the decision to release the suspects may surprise many but said that it was 'grounded in experience and careful consideration of policing powers.' The CTP statement did not specifically mention Iran, but this has been a common talking point for Reform UK, which has since called for the declaration of a national security emergency.
We must declare a national security emergency. pic.twitter.com/HwhkvPpdTi
— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) September 28, 2026
Iran 'Strongly Condemns' Speculations
The Embassy of Iran in the UK rejected speculation linking Tehran to the RAF Fairford incident and claimed that it would only fuel 'Iranophobia propaganda' in the UK. 'The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to (the) arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base,' the embassy said on social media.
Statement on Recent Speculations by some British Individuals and Media
— Iran (I.R.of) Embassy in UK (@Iran_in_UK) September 28, 2026
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets… pic.twitter.com/UPnkPY4qUT
Police have confirmed that all suspects are British nationals. The agency did not release their names but said they were all male, aged between 23 and 25, and London residents.
