Several men arrested, bomb disposal team deployed near air base used by U.S. forces in England
British counterterrorism police arrested five men near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. The arrests followed the sighting of three suspicious vehicles traveling toward the air base used by U.S. forces. Authorities are investigating potential links to Iran following recent geopolitical tensions.
Why it matters
The incident highlights heightened security concerns and potential threats to military installations used by international coalition forces amid ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
British counterterrorism police said Sunday that they are investigating after several men were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act in a village near a Royal Air Force base, which is used by U.S. bombers.The Metropolitan Police said officers received a call around 12:45 a.m. local time about three suspicious vehicles that were traveling toward RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a county in southwestern England. Armed officers responded, and five men were arrested in the Whelford area on suspicion of committing offenses under the Explosives Act. They were then arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act."We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody," said Vicki Evans, the deputy assistant police commissioner and national coordinator for counter terrorism policing in the U.K., in a statement.
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