British police said Sunday that five men arrested in the middle of the night near an air base used by the United States during its war against Iran are being held on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
London’s Metropolitan Police, which takes the lead on potential terrorism activities, said in a statement that police received a call at 12:45 a.m. related to three suspicious vehicles which appeared to be traveling toward the air base. The base is U.K.-owned and U.S.-operated under an agreement dating back to the Cold War.
The five men were initially arrested in the Whelford area, which backs onto RAF Fairford, the base that hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron.
Fairford has been used by American forces for strictly limited strikes during the war with Iran. After the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28, the U.K. government allowed the American military to use the Fairford base to strike Iranian missile sites. Iran has said bombers flying from the base have been used for strikes beyond that purpose.
President Donald Trump praised those involved in making the arrests and suggested authorities were aware of the men prior to Sunday.
“We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort. And working with the British worked out great,” he told reporters in Chicago. “We had them under view for a long time and we got them.”
Police gave no details as to the nationality of those arrested. Suspects arrested under the U.K.’s Terrorism Act 2000 can be detained for up to 14 days without charge, compared to the 24-hour limit for standard arrests, without an extension application.
“We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody,” said Vicki Evans, the Met’s deputy assistant commissioner.
She said a quarter-mile cordon was been put in place around the three vehicles that raised suspicion while the army conducted examinations. As a precaution, around 85 households were evacuated.
Aerial footage from Sky News appeared to show a bomb disposal robot roaming between three white trucks. The rear doors of two of the vans were open and large black items could be seen scattered around. The robot appeared to be working toward getting access to the third truck.
The local Gloucestershire police force said the situation appeared to be contained.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force said U.S. and British personnel “remain vigilant” and will take appropriate actions to ensure safety of all those at the base.
“For operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures,” the spokesperson said. “We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families.”
The U.S. embassy in London warned Americans to be cautious and mindful of their personal security.
