RAF Fairford: 'Quantity of petrol' but no explosives found in three vehicles

RAF Fairford: 'Quantity of petrol' but no explosives found in three vehicles

Counter-terrorism officers conducted searches on three vans near RAF Fairford in western England, discovering a quantity of petrol but no explosive materials, authorities have confirmed. The vehicles had been under scrutiny following a security alert around the base, which is used by the US military.

Early on Sunday, five men in their twenties, all British nationals, were detained on suspicion of explosives-related offences. The investigation was later expanded to encompass terrorism offences. The arrests triggered a significant security operation at the site.

The men were released on bail the next day, with police explaining this as a carefully considered “investigative decision” based on their expertise and tactical approach. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that the incident involved a “foreign actor,” indicating possible international involvement.

Laurence Taylor, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing, stated that the swift response by police was prompted by various pieces of intelligence, including a report from a member of the public who noticed “several vehicles acting suspiciously” near RAF Fairford. He also expressed hope that the ongoing “investigative scenes” would be concluded by Wednesday

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