Iran link under scanner after bomb threat near UK base used by US (terror network)

[C C]

https://www.indiatoday.in/world/uk-news/...2026-09-28

British counter-terror police arrested five men after a potential bomb threat near RAF Fairford. The investigation centred on suspicious vehicles and a possible Iran link as Whelford remained evacuated.

British counter-terror police were probing whether Tehran was involved in a potential bomb threat near an air base used by the US military in its war against Iran, UK media reported Monday. Police were called to the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford air base in southwestern England in the early hours of Sunday, after they were alerted to "suspicious vehicles" in the area.

Authorities have not officially confirmed details about the nature or origin of the threat, but have arrested five men on suspicion of "preparing a terrorist act" and on explosives charges, who remain in custody, and bomb disposal experts were seen at work at the site.

US President Donald Trump said overnight, "We know all about them" when asked about the suspects, and nodded when asked if there was a connection to Iran. "You'll be hearing about it very soon. We caught them," said Trump, without giving more details.

Earlier Sunday he said the suspects were "looking to do big damage" at the base, where US bombers are stationed, without providing additional details.

The adjoining village of Whelford, where the men were arrested, was evacuated on Sunday and remained cordoned off on Monday morning, as residents spent the night in alternative accommodation.

Gates to the Fairford air base were blocked off by heavy construction vehicles, AFP reporters saw, as UK defence minister Wes Streeting said the investigation on the site "continues today."

[stryder]

The information will eventually unfold, however currently the "suspects" have been granted "bail". Thats not usually something that prospective terrorists are given an opportunity to have (Suspected terrorists can be held for 2 weeks without any charges being made, not getting bail granted).

So it's likely that it's something more trivialised but we won't know until it's dealt with.

[C C]

U.K. police arrest 7th man over RAF Fairford incident on suspicion of terrorism after releasing 6 on bail
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/raf-fairfor...terrorism/

EXCERPTS: British police on Tuesday arrested a 22-year-old man in London on suspicion of a terror offense over a security incident at a U.S.-run military air base in England that authorities have linked to Iran.

It was the seventh arrest in connection with a suspected plot against RAF Fairford, 100 miles west of London, which has been used by American bombers to strike Iran during the ongoing war.

[...] Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counterterrorism policing, said detectives "continue to pursue multiple lines of enquiry" and "remain committed to investigating all possible angles."

[...] Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the U.K. sees "strong indications" that Iran played a part in the incident, without saying why or what the nature of the suspected plot was. [...] Iran has denied involvement, but it has previously said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target... (MORE - missing details)

[Syne]

No 10 insists RAF Fairford is safe after US withdraws its bombers from base

A dozen B-1s stationed at Gloucestershire base redeployed over concerns about possible threat from Iran
...
Aircraft trackers reported that an entire squadron of 12 B-1 bombers based at Fairford had redeployed from the British base to the US on Sunday, a rapid movement that the Pentagon confirmed on Sunday evening.

US officials told the New York Times commanders had received new information about an Iran-backed plot against the base, which has been on high alert for more than a week. Some of the bombers left so quickly that refuelling aircraft had to be scrambled to support their flights to the US.
...

When you release suspected terrorists on bail, we don't trust your judgement on security measures.

[confused2]

When you release suspected terrorists on bail, we don't trust your judgement on security measures.

They are 'monitored' and (on a good day) no further threat. We (UK) don't use torture to extract information so maybe the only way to find out about these people is to let them go and see what they do. Not as dramatic as sleep deprivation and waterboarding .. its just 'our way' .. for better or worse.

[geordief]

They are 'monitored' and (on a good day) no further threat. We (UK) don't use torture to extract information so maybe the only way to find out about these people is to let them go and see what they do. Not as dramatic as sleep deprivation and waterboarding .. its just 'our way' .. for better or worse.

It does seem strange that "terror suspects" would be released on bail .
It leads me to wonder whether  the charges  were a bit "creative" 

I reckon if they were released earlier  than might have  seemed appropriate  it may well  have been for a good operational reason and not just to   get up the noses of the (description failure) "administration" in America -even if that is a bonus.

Aĺl very opaque.(are we better off without those bases in the country   considering the approach of the current regime and the questionality  of where their allegiance lies?)

[Syne]

When you release suspected terrorists on bail, we don't trust your judgement on security measures.

They are 'monitored' and (on a good day) no further threat. We (UK) don't use torture to extract information so maybe the only way to find out about these people is to let them go and see what they do. Not as dramatic as sleep deprivation and waterboarding .. its just 'our way' .. for better or worse.

Who said anything about torture? @_@
Yeah, I don't trust your ability to "monitor" them either. You couldn't even monitor years of grooming gangs.

[C C]

It's really irritating that (like for every other "protect the special identities" case) it will probably take the authorities six months to a couple of years to finally reveal that these weirdos were just there to perform a pagan ritual in the woods. The petro being for starting the bonfire that they were going to ring around.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

My 999 call foiled RAF Fairford plot, farmer tells BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6p3kgz1w410o

INTRO: A farmer who told the BBC her 999 call "foiled" a suspected terror plot said police and security services "dropped the ball" in their handling of the incident.

She said she called police just after 01:30 BST on Sunday after seeing three vans parked in a "weird formation" near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. There was "a large group of hooded and masked men" near the vans who started to "panic" when they saw her, she said.

Five men, all UK nationals from London in their early to mid 20s, were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act and have been released on police bail.

[...] The defence secretary told BBC Breakfast more than 80 homes had been evacuated. He said he was fairly limited in what he could say about the incident but that an investigation was "well under way"... (MORE - details)

2026 RAF Fairford arrests
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_RAF_Fairford_arrests

"They said that no improvised explosive devices were found in the vans, but a 'quantity of petrol' was recovered from them."

[Zinjanthropos]

As if the populace isn’t terrorized enough knowing the guys arrested are potential terrorists, might as well really scare the shit out of them by letting them back onto the streets.

[Yazata]

No 10 insists RAF Fairford is safe after US withdraws its bombers from base

A dozen B-1s stationed at Gloucestershire base redeployed over concerns about possible threat from Iran
...
Aircraft trackers reported that an entire squadron of 12 B-1 bombers based at Fairford had redeployed from the British base to the US on Sunday, a rapid movement that the Pentagon confirmed on Sunday evening.

US officials told the New York Times commanders had received new information about an Iran-backed plot against the base, which has been on high alert for more than a week. Some of the bombers left so quickly that refuelling aircraft had to be scrambled to support their flights to the US.
...

There are rumors that the 12 B-1 bombers were suddenly evacuated back to the United States due to the possibility of a drone attack on the base. There was apparently intelligence pointing to Iranian agents plotting something like that. My speculation is that the five men arrested near the base were doing reconaissance in preparation for whatever it was.

Everyone with experience in these US Air Force squadrons is saying that the aircraft evacuation was a sudden rush job that indeed suggests the expectation of an imminent threat.