RAF Fairford: One Arrested Man Had Called 999 Before Police Detained Five Suspects

One of the five men arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire reportedly called the UK emergency number 999 himself shortly before the police operation began, according to the BBC. The call was made at around 00:45 BST on Sunday, September 27, almost an hour before a local farmer contacted police after reportedly seeing several men wearing balaclavas near three suspicious vans.

The latest development comes as all five men have now been released on police bail, although they remain under investigation. Counter Terrorism Policing said the suspects are all British nationals aged between 23 and 25. They were initially detained over alleged offenses under the Explosives Act and were later arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Police have stressed that the investigation remains ongoing.

What happened?

Police were alerted in the early hours of Sunday after receiving information about three vehicles apparently traveling toward RAF Fairford. Armed officers subsequently arrested five men in the nearby village of Whelford.

A local farmer later told the BBC that she called 999 shortly after 1:30am after seeing three vans and a group of hooded or masked men. However, the newly reported information indicates that one of the arrested men had already contacted police at around 00:45am.

Counter Terrorism Policing has said the response that morning was based on a “range of information,” rather than a single call.

Police searches of the vehicles have since been completed. No improvised explosive devices were found, although officers recovered a quantity of petrol. Searches were also carried out at properties in London.

Background

RAF Fairford is a British Royal Air Force base in Gloucestershire with a longstanding connection to the U.S. military. The base has been used by U.S. forces for military operations and has recently attracted attention because of its role in operations connected to the conflict involving Iran. The September 27 incident triggered a major security operation, with around 85 households evacuated while bomb-disposal and counter-terrorism teams searched the area.

Police have not publicly established the suspects’ motive or confirmed that they intended to carry out an attack. The five men remain under investigation and are subject to strict bail conditions. Authorities have also said security measures around RAF Fairford are being scaled back, with the remaining investigative scenes expected to close.