English Translation:
A U.S. Air Force base in England, used for the takeoff and landing of long-range bomber aircraft, was almost hit by a terrorist attack. The British police arrested five men near the base on Sunday (September 27) and foiled a bomb attack plot targeting the base. On Monday (September 28), the police released more information about the five suspects. Currently, these five individuals have been granted bail, but the investigation against them is still ongoing.
The five men were arrested on Sunday near the RAF Fairford base in western England. The UK Counter Terrorism Police announced on Monday that the five suspects are British male citizens residing in London, aged between 23 and 25. The police also mentioned that these individuals are currently detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.
The arrested individuals include a 24-year-old man from Camden in north London, three men aged 23, 24, and 25 from Westminster, and a 24-year-old man from Willesden in northwest London. The police did not disclose further details about their identities.
The UK Counter Terrorism Police are investigating whether Iran is connected to the conspiracy targeting the Fairford base. U.S. B-1 and B-52 bombers take off from this base to carry out missions against Iran. In July of this year, the UK stated that its armed forces are prepared to protect the country from any attacks. Previously, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned the UK not to allow U.S. bombers to take off from the Fairford base and stated that any base used for attacks against Iran would be a legitimate target.
The Iranian Embassy in London issued a statement on Monday denying any connection between Iran and the arrest of the five individuals at the Fairford air base.
The UK Counter Terrorism Police (CTP) stated in a release that “CTP investigators who received specialized training conducted an inspection at the scene overnight and carried out a series of activities, leading to the discovery of several new investigative directions.”
Vicki Evans, a senior CTP official, described the work surrounding this arrest operation as “extremely complex” and involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
She said, “I am very aware that there are various speculations about the motives behind this incident and some geopolitical questions have been raised. However, I urge everyone to give the counter-terrorism police department the necessary space at this stage so that we can conduct our work carefully and clearly.”
The authorities have not disclosed the detention location of these individuals or what was found inside the three white vans they allegedly used. Aerial footage on Sunday showed a bomb disposal robot moving between three white panel vans in the woods near the Fairford base. The rear doors of two vans were open, with some large black items scattered around. A nearby team from CNN heard two possibly controlled explosions coming from the direction of the village where these vans were found.
The UK Counter Terrorism Police stated in a release that the five individuals were initially detained for suspected unlawful possession of explosives, and later faced additional charges of “preparing to commit acts of terrorism.”
The UK police stated on Monday (September 28) that the five men have been bailed, but the investigation against them is ongoing. Their actions and contacts with others remain strictly limited.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, stated that the police are investigating this incident from all angles, including whether it was an operation carried out on behalf of a foreign state.
According to Reuters, a local farmer encountered these individuals while returning home on Saturday night. She found the lane and road blocked by three white vans parked in a peculiar manner that prevented vehicles from passing through.
She stated that at an intersection, she saw a group of men. Her headlights may have caught their eyes, prompting them to scatter: some ran straight across the road into the fields, while others turned and ran towards Kempsford.
She noted that there were more than five individuals present at the time, estimating there were around eight to ten people. Many of them had their faces covered and were wearing similar clothes – almost as if it were some form of uniform dress code – all in a very fitted style. At that moment, she realized this was likely not just a few plainclothes police officers in a few vans.
The farmer said her first action was to call the Ministry of Defence Police responsible for the base’s security, but no one answered. She then dialed the emergency hotline 999. Within minutes, fully armed police arrived at the scene and arrested the five suspects, with a helicopter taking off for search operations.
According to CNN, UK Defence Minister Wes Streeting thanked the farmer but also noted that “she was only aware of part of the situation.”
He mentioned that the work of the police and security agencies “often goes unnoticed and unreported, but there is a reason for that.”