Five men arrested near RAF Fairford released on bail, police say

Five men arrested after an incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire have been released on police bail, counter-terrorism officials said Monday, as the investigation into the case continued. Police said the men remain under investigation and are subject to bail conditions while officers pursue multiple lines of inquiry.

The arrests were made on Sunday after police received reports of three suspicious vehicles travelling toward the air base shortly after 12:45 a.m. Armed officers responded in the Whelford area, and investigators later said the men were detained first on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and then on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act.

RAF Fairford, in southwest England, is a long-established Royal Air Force station that also hosts U.S. military personnel. Counter Terrorism Policing said the scene remains active as officers and military specialists continue examining the area and assessing the vehicles involved.

Investigation continues as residents remain affected

Police said a 400-meter cordon was put in place around the vehicles while the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit carried out examinations. As a precaution, about 85 households were evacuated on Sunday, and a nearby leisure centre was opened for displaced residents. Officials said the cordon would be reviewed later Monday.

The five suspects are British nationals from London, aged 23 to 25, and were identified by police as residents of Camden, Westminster and Willesden. Counter-terrorism officials said they were continuing to establish the full circumstances of the incident, including the men’s knowledge and any possible motivation behind it.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said the release on bail did not mean the inquiry had ended, and that the men remain under strict conditions. Counter Terrorism Policing also urged the public not to speculate and to rely on official updates while investigators continue work at the scene.