Five London‑based Britons were released on bail Monday after being arrested near RAF Fairford, a U.S. airbase in Gloucestershire, on suspicion of a bomb plot. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said the release does not end the investigation and that the men face stringent bail conditions.
RAF Fairford has been used by the United States for defensive operations against Iran, and the three white vans spotted near the base earlier Sunday sparked fears of an explosive threat. Bomb‑disposal teams were deployed and materials tested, but the results were not published.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was surprised the five were freed and that he would not have approved the release. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed calls for clarification, while Iran’s embassy in London condemned the speculation. UK Defence Minister Wes Streeting said the farmer’s account only offered a partial picture.
Local residents were evacuated from 85 households in the nearby village of Whelford early Sunday and allowed to return the next day, amid heightened security. A farmer who saw masked men blocking a road told police she felt the threat was downplayed.
The investigation, led by UK counter‑terror police, remains active; the suspects will be monitored under strict bail terms, and a court hearing is expected in the coming weeks.