Five arrested in suspected terrorism plot near RAF Fairford

British police arrested five men near RAF Fairford in western England on Sunday on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act and committing offenses under the Explosives Act, authorities said.

Armed officers detained the men in the nearby Whelford area after police received an overnight report of three suspicious vehicles traveling toward the air base. Military bomb-disposal specialists were examining the vehicles, and police established a 400-meter cordon around them.

About 85 households were advised to evacuate as a precaution, with some residents taken to a nearby leisure center. Roughly 30 emergency vehicles, including police cars, ambulances and fire engines, were reported at the scene. Authorities described the episode as a “major incident” but said they believed it had been contained.

Counterterrorism police are leading the investigation. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said it remained at an early stage and that authorities were working with partner agencies to establish the circumstances.

RAF Fairford is used by the U.S. Air Force and serves as a forward operating location for American bombers. U.S. European Command declined to discuss specific security measures but said U.S. and British forces remained vigilant.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised the arrests and cooperation with British authorities, saying those detained had been seeking to cause major damage. Police have not publicly confirmed a motive or whether the incident was connected to current military operations.