Emergency

Attack on RAF base: the five arrested have been released on bail

The alarm was raised following reports of a serious incident near an RAF airbase used by the United States

Aggiornato il 28 settembre 2026 alle ore 17:19

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A vehicle drives past a Whelford sign as police block roads near the RAF Fairford airbase, which hosts United States Air Force (USAF) personnel, in Fairford, Gloucestershire, Britain, September 27, 2026. REUTERS/Toby Shepheard REUTERS

3' min read

Translated by AI
Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI
Versione italiana

All five British nationals arrested on Sunday by counter-terrorism officers in connection with the alleged bomb plot that was foiled near the RAF’s Fairford airbase – which is also used by US bombers in the war against Tehran – have been released on bail.

This was announced by a senior police officer, Laurence Taylor, who clarified that the decision had been taken following “thorough checks and interviews” and that this “does not mean the investigation is closed”. The five remain subject to “strict restrictions on their movements and contact with others”, although their release appears to have somewhat alleviated the situation.

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Iran has denied any involvement in the bomb threat reported yesterday near the Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Fairford, which is also used by the US armed forces. The Iranian Embassy in London has ‘categorically denied and strongly condemned’ the allegations linking Tehran to the incident. In a post published on X, the embassy described the speculation spread by certain British politicians and media outlets in an attempt to link Iran to the incident as ‘baseless and malicious’. Five men, all British nationals in their twenties, have been arrested. The investigation is being led by the British counter-terrorism police

Sunday’s incident: bomb scare near a US-used base in the UK

Several people have been arrested and a number of homes evacuated in the Whelford area, in the county of Gloucestershire, England, following an explosives alert after reports of a serious incident near a RAF airbase used by the United States. The police reported that the men were taken into custody on suspicion of breaching the Explosives Act in connection with the incident near RAF Fairford.

The army’s specialist bomb disposal team has arrived on the scene and is examining a number of vehicles. Armed police officers are manning the security cordon set up near the village of Whelford. A large number of emergency services have been reported in the area, including a specialist team for operations in high-risk areas. Gloucestershire Police have meanwhile issued a statement saying they believe the incident is “contained”.

Shortly afterwards, Gloucestershire Police stated that the situation was now under control. Army bomb disposal experts are examining a number of vehicles, whilst a security cordon has been set up in the area. The authorities have arranged for the evacuation of some residents, who have been taken to a nearby leisure centre.

According to Sky News, the UK’s counter-terrorism police are investigating a possible link between Iran and the alleged bomb attack at the RAF Fairford base in England, where US bomber aircraft are stationed.

US President Donald Trump stated that the suspects were planning to cause “serious damage” and that they were under investigation by the British and US authorities.

The five arrested have been formally charged with terrorism

“The five men remain in custody,” said Scotland Yard’s deputy chief, Vicki Evans, who is also the national counter-terrorism commander for the UK, adding that the investigation is still “in its early stages” and refraining from speculating at this stage on the possible motives behind the incident. “We are working closely” with the other law enforcement agencies involved, she continued, to “establish the circumstances of the incident”: which has been classified as “serious” from the very outset. Evans also explained that the counter-terrorism unit is working alongside the regional police force, Gloucestershire Police, “to ensure the safety of the local community and to gather evidence at the scene” of the incident. He also noted that the cordon has now been reduced to “400 metres” around the three vans driven by the five suspects, whilst military bomb disposal teams from the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit are at work using their robots and armoured vehicles to complete checks on the vehicles.

The people evacuated from the 85 homes in the village of Whelford, in the heart of the Cotswolds, a rural area where – albeit some distance from the base – members of the royal family and wealthy individuals also reside, are currently being sheltered at a local sports centre as a precautionary measure until the checks have been fully completed. Meanwhile, the British media are reporting that an ad hoc meeting of the Cobra emergency committee is to be held, chaired by the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, who is being kept constantly updated on the matter, as are the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and the Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting.

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