Terror Arrests Near RAF Fairford: 85 Homes Evacuated
A major incident was declared on Sunday in the village of Whelford, close to the base, where 85 households were evacuated, Gloucestershire Police said. Officers made the arrests as part of an investigation into suspected offenses under the Explosives Act. RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station that hosts US Air Force operations.
Displaced residents were taken to a leisure center while emergency services worked at the scene. Counter Terrorism Policing said the five men were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
In an interview with a news agency, Streeting was asked whether the base had faced an earlier security alert. He declined to comment, saying: "We know that there are people, state-backed actors, terrorists, who would do this country harm, and we know that because they tell us and they're not shy about that."
"So we know that our bases in this country and around the world are potential targets, and that's why we're extremely vigilant," he noted.
The minister said he could not release further details of the incident, arguing that doing so could hand Britain's "enemies and opponents" valuable information.
A 400-meter (1,312 feet) cordon remains in place outside Whelford, beside the base, and there is also a "significant presence at the main entrance of Fairford." The circumstances of the arrests remain unclear, and counter-terrorism police are expected to issue an update later on Monday.
Streeting was also questioned about remarks by US President Donald Trump, who said an investigation tied to the suspects had been running for some time.
"I think it says a lot about the relationship we have with the United States of America and the extent to which we work extremely closely on defense and security, that we've got the president of the United States paying tribute to the team here in the UK," he said.
"I'm sure people will be very grateful and appreciative for what he said," he added.
Streeting said it would be "unwise" to discuss the details of the operation or the "motivations and backgrounds of the individuals under arrest."
The arrests come amid heightened security around the base. In July, Britain said its armed forces were ready to defend the country against any attack, after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned against allowing US bombers to operate from Fairford. The base has supported operations against Iran since February, amid the wider Middle East conflict.
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