The US embassy has warned American citizens to “exercise caution” in the UK after five men were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act near RAF Fairford.
A major incident was declared and 85 homes evacuated near the base in Gloucestershire after several men were arrested by armed police on suspicion of explosives offences on Sunday morning.
US president Donald Trump claimed the alleged plot was “looking to do big damage” to the US bombers that are held on the base, with numerous reports that British authorities are looking into whether Iran could be linked to the plot.
Now the US embassy is urging its citizens to warn family and friends of their safety and review their plans for personal safety.
“The U.S. Embassy is aware of arrests on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act near the Royal Air Force base in Fairford, UK. U.S. citizens are encouraged to exercise caution and be mindful of personal security,” it said in a statement.
“Local authorities are evacuating certain residents in the area out of an abundance of caution. We remind U.S. citizens that UK authorities rate the threat of terrorism in the UK as severe.
It said that any “facilities, gatherings and organizations” associated to the US may be at “heightened risk”, adding that citizens are “advised to follow instructions of local authorities for their personal safety and security”.
Police were first notified about the incident at around 12:45am on Sunday morning, when they received a call about three suspicious vehicles travelling towards the air base.
Four USAF bombers landed at RAF Fairford this spring after then-prime minister Sir Keir Starmer granted permission for “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases.
Following the arrests on Sunday, aerial footage from the village of Welford, near the base, showed a British army bomb disposal squad using specialist robotic equipment to examine three white vans stopped by armed police during the incident.
But as of Monday morning, no declaration of a terrorist incident has been made.
Washington has been full of praise for the emergency response to the incident, with Trump heaping praise on what he said was US-British cooperation to prevent an attack.
“They were looking to do big damage to our fort, and working with the British worked out great.
“It may have been Scotland Yard, I don’t know. We worked with a lot of them. We had them under view for a long time, and we got them. Thank you.”
He later said: "We know all about them, and you'll be hearing about it very soon. We caught them." It was unclear who he was referring to as “we” and whether this included British authorities.
But experts have cast doubt about whether Trump’s claims that the US have “had them under view” are consistent with the claims of an eyewitness and farmer who alerted authorities after seeing the masked and hooded men near a group of vans.
Whitehall officials have said that this is not an “intelligence-led operation”.
The farmer who alerted police told the BBC that authorities had “dropped the ball” on the security of RAF Fairford.
"We need to be able to trust that the relevant authorities will take appropriate steps to monitor and manage threats to the communities who live and work in close proximity to the base," she said.
"It shouldn’t be necessary for someone like me to alert RAF Fairford of the presence of three large suspicious vehicles and a group of masked men."
However, defence secretary Wes Streeting said the farmer was only aware of a “partial picture” of the incident.
