RAF Fairford bomb plot suspects bailed after no explosives found in vans
Britain's counter-terrorism police have released on bail five British men in their 20s who were arrested near RAF Fairford, a US-operated air force base in England, in a suspected bomb plot case that has raised fresh questions about the incident. Police said on Tuesday that no explosives were found in three vans linked to the suspects and said the decision to grant bail was based on "experience and strategy".
The case has drawn attention on both sides of the Atlantic. US President Donald Trump said he was surprised that the men, arrested on Sunday on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences, were freed a day later. "I wouldn't have done that," Trump told reporters on Monday.
Counter-terror detectives said they were pursuing "multiple lines of inquiry", including whether the suspects had any link to Iran. Iran has denied involvement. Laurence Taylor, head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, said the five men "absolutely remain under investigation" and were subject to strict conditions.
"Now I understand why this development was surprising to some, but I would like to reiterate that this is an investigative decision, and one which is grounded in experience and strategy," Taylor said. He added that public concern was being "heightened by the international commentary that we are seeing".
In an interview with Fox News, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the case "clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor", but did not name any country or give further details. "I know a lot of people are disturbed by the news that some of these people have been released on bail, as some of the people are being investigated," he added.
A police cordon remained around three vans found near the base on Tuesday as armed police and counter-terror officers examined the scene. Earlier, army bomb disposal experts used a robot to inspect the vehicles. Taylor said "a quantity of petrol was recovered" from the vans, but no explosives were found.
A local farmer said she alerted police after seeing the vans blocking a road near the base while driving home in the early hours of Sunday. She said she saw a group of men nearby, some with their faces covered, and that they ran away when they saw her vehicle. The farmer, who did not want to be named, said her call may have foiled the suspected plot. She also said several hours passed before police "suddenly decided to evacuate people" in the area. "But meanwhile, those vans were right in the middle of the village next to everyone's houses, and no one did anything," she said.
Taylor said investigators were examining whether the suspected offences were carried out by "proxies or individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state". Investigators have not concluded whether the incident was state-backed or what the motive was, but authorities have strongly hinted at possible Iranian involvement. They are also looking at a possible link to Russia or non-state militant groups. RAF Fairford has also been the focus of protests by anti-war campaigners.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the UK "shouldn't be cowed by saber rattling from Iran", adding that "the Iranian regime is one that wishes harm to our country, our allies, and the freedom and democracy that we enjoy". The Iranian embassy denied any role in the suspected plot. The base houses the headquarters of the US Air Force's 501st Combat Support Wing and is a forward operating location for the US Air Force Global Strike Command. It was used during the 1990 Gulf War, the 2003 Iraq War and the US-Israeli bombardment of Iran this year.
It remains unclear whether the arrested men had previously come to the attention of the security services. Trump said the suspects were detained after cooperation between the US and Britain and had been "under view" for some time, but police said the arrests were triggered by a late-night call about the suspicious vans near the base. Streeting said the farmer only had a "partial picture" of the operation.
Local lawmaker Roz Savage said there was "anger and anxiety" among residents, especially those evacuated from their homes who had still not been able to return. "I have so many questions right now, more questions than answers," she said in a video message on X. "This should not have been allowed to happen." British officials have also said the number of national security cases involving hostile states, including Iran, rose by 50 per cent in the six months to December 2025. For now, the five suspects remain on bail, the investigation is continuing, and questions over the incident and the response to it remain unresolved.
