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No Explosives Found Near US Base After Arrests; Suspects Released on Bail
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News18•30-09-2026, 00:00
No Explosives Found Near US Base After Arrests; Suspects Released on Bail
- •British police found no explosives in three vans near RAF Fairford, a US-operated air force base, following the arrest and subsequent release on bail of five British nationals.
- •US President Donald Trump expressed surprise at the release of the suspects, who were arrested on explosives and terrorism charges, stating, "I wouldn't have done that."
- •UK Counter Terrorism Policing head Laurence Taylor confirmed the suspects, all in their 20s, remain under investigation with stringent bail conditions, and a quantity of petrol was recovered from the vans.
- •US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted at a "foreign actor" involvement, while British authorities are investigating potential links to Iran, Russia, or non-state militant groups.
- •The incident has raised questions about security and intelligence, with a local farmer claiming her call about suspicious vehicles may have foiled a plot, and residents expressing "anger and anxiety."
Key Questions Answered
British counter-terrorism police released the five young British men on police bail following extensive interviews and inquiries, though head of Counter Terrorism Policing Laurence Taylor stressed that they remain under strict conditions and continue to be actively investigated.
Counter-terrorism chief Laurence Taylor confirmed that no explosives were found in the three vans discovered near the base, although a quantity of petrol was recovered from the vehicles.
US President Donald Trump expressed surprise that the suspects were freed on bail, stating he would not have done that and suggesting a potential link to Iran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also remarked that the case clearly involved a foreign actor.
