Police reveal no explosives found in RAF base suspected bomb plot

Five men arrested over an alleged bomb plot targeting an RAF base used by American forces have been released on bail after police found no explosives in three vans at the centre of the security alert.

The suspects, British nationals aged between 23 and 25, were freed after an extensive examination of the vehicles by military bomb disposal specialists and forensic experts near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

No explosive material or bomb-making equipment was discovered, despite the men initially being arrested on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and later on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism.

Donald Trump expressed surprise at the decision to release the men, saying: “We know everything about them. We would not have released them.”

Asked whether Iran was connected to the incident, the US president replied: “It might be.”

Pressed for further details, Trump said: “I’d rather not. I mean, I know the answer, I could be very specific, but I’d rather not say. I would not have released them.”

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, also questioned the decision, saying that “a lot of people” were “disturbed” that the suspects had been bailed.

“What could have happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation,” Rubio told Fox News, claiming that the incident “clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor”.

Rubio did not provide evidence for the claim or identify the country he believed was responsible.

British counter-terrorism officers said they were investigating several possibilities, including whether the men may have been acting knowingly or unknowingly on behalf of a foreign state.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said: “Following extensive interviews and inquiries, the five men who were arrested are being released on police bail.

“To be very clear, this does not mean the investigation is over. They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others. They absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of inquiry.”

Police were called shortly before 1am on Sunday after a woman driving through Whelford, close to the base, reported seeing three suspicious white vans and a group of men, some apparently wearing face coverings.

Armed officers were deployed and five men were detained. About 85 homes were evacuated, roads were sealed and military bomb disposal specialists used robots to examine the vans.

The arrests prompted fears of a potentially serious terrorist attack on RAF Fairford, which is used by the United States Air Force and has played a role in American military operations.

However, searches of the vehicles failed to uncover explosives or equipment that could be used to make a bomb.

The five men were subsequently released on police bail rather than being held for further questioning under terrorism legislation.

Trump had earlier described the incident in much stronger terms, saying on Sunday that the suspects had been “looking to do big damage” and suggesting that British and American authorities had been tracking them.

British sources later indicated that the specific activities of the five men were not known before the member of the public alerted police.

Detectives are examining whether the men could have been acting as proxies for a hostile state.

Taylor said investigators were looking at “every possible angle”, including the possibility of “activity committed by proxies, or individuals either knowingly or unknowingly working on behalf of a foreign state”.

Iran has come under scrutiny because of the strategic importance of RAF Fairford and its use by US forces.

Tehran has denied any involvement.

The Iranian embassy in London said it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” what it described as “unfounded and malicious speculations” linking Iran to the arrests.

The five men, all from London, remain under investigation and are subject to bail conditions.

Police are continuing to examine the suspects’ movements, communications and the circumstances in which they were found close to the base.

Counter-terrorism officers have also been working with American authorities as part of the inquiry.

RAF Fairford is one of the most important bases used by the US military in Britain and regularly hosts American aircraft and personnel.

The base has previously been used by US strategic bombers and reconnaissance aircraft and has played a role in operations involving Europe and the Middle East.

The investigation remains active.