The first images emerged Sunday afternoon of suspects arrested before dawn in a special operation near RAF Fairford, a British base used by the U.S. Air Force, as reports in Britain said the men were suspected of planning an attack on the base.
A photo published by Britain’s Daily Mail, among other outlets, shows five men arrested by local security forces sitting shirtless on the side of the road with their hands cuffed behind their backs. The images emerged shortly after British police announced that the investigation was being transferred to a counterterrorism unit, another indication that a possible attack may have been thwarted.
Gallery
Handcuffed, shirtless, on the side of the road. Documentation of the arret of the detainees
(Photo: From X)
Commercial vehicles used by the suspected terrorists
(Photo: From X)
A bomb disposal robot operating at the scene
According to British media reports, three vans believed to have contained explosive devices were found in connection with the suspects. The Daily Mail suggested that the five men pictured Sunday afternoon may have been ordered to remove their shirts because of concerns that they could be wearing explosive belts. In the image, a member of the security forces can be seen shining a powerful light toward them.
According to the newspaper, the photograph was taken at 2:10 a.m. by a resident of Whelford, a village near the base. The resident described what happened overnight:
"I was asleep and was woken up by shouting coming from outside.I couldn't tell what was being shouted but as I got nearer the window, I could see the road was being lit up by blue flashing lights from police vehicles. On one side of the road, officers had five men lined up. They all had their shirts removed. They were instructed to sit down. They were patted down by the officers and then had their shoes and socks removed. I think they must have been there for about half an hour.
"The suspects were then told to get up and were walked round the corner. I lost sight of them after that but I presumed they were put in police vans and led away. This all happened just outside the perimeter of RAF Fairford. The police are investigating three work vans parked a few hundred yards from my house. We've not been told much, we were just asked to evacuate our homes early this morning."
Conducting searches of the alleged terrorists
Two other residents who spoke with British media said the three vans had appeared in the center of the village “unusually” during the night and that a resident immediately reported them to police. One said security camera footage from a house near the scene showed police robots examining the rear sections of the vehicles.
The images and reports emerged hours after British police announced the arrests of several men in the village near RAF Fairford, where large numbers of U.S. Air Force personnel are stationed and which was also used by the U.S. military for strikes on Iran.
Police said Sunday morning that the men were suspected of offenses under the Explosives Act and that a British Army bomb disposal team had been called to examine several vehicles, apparently amid suspicions that they could be car bombs. Security at the sensitive base was also tightened following the arrests.
RAF Fairford is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron. According to the unit’s website, the base serves as the “preferred forward operating location for bombers in Europe” for U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command.
During the latest U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, several American aircraft took off from the base for strike missions against the Islamic Republic, although the operations were highly limited. The British government permitted the U.S. military to use the base only for limited strikes against Iranian missile sites, primarily those used to launch Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Report in the Daily Mail
Sunday’s incident near Fairford comes after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps previously warned Britain that the base would be in its sights if U.S. Air Force bombers continued flying from there to carry out strikes on Iran.
“Any base used to launch attacks on Iranian territory is a legitimate target for our forces,” the IRGC said in July.
According to a report in The Telegraph, Iran that same month launched an unprecedented cyberattack against Britain that knocked a power station offline for four days.
Witnesses and British media reports said security measures at RAF Fairford had been significantly increased in recent days. Roadblocks were set up near the base, armed police staffed them and prevented access, while emergency vehicles were stationed nearby. Around 30 emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fire engines, were also seen around the base Sunday morning.
The Daily Mail reported earlier Sunday that a “Delta” alert had been declared at RAF Fairford following the morning’s events, the highest threat level the U.S. Department of Defense can set, although there has so far been no confirmation of the report. The newspaper’s website described the incident in its main headline as a “terror alert” at the air base.
According to the newspaper, security was also tightened at other U.S. bases in Britain, while RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk was placed on “Charlie” alert, the second-highest threat level.
A U.S. Air Force spokesperson told Reuters Sunday morning that the service was aware of reports concerning the events of recent hours but would not publicly discuss specific measures being taken to protect forces at the base.
“We remain vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of U.S. military personnel, civilians, contractors and their families,” the spokesperson said.
Security around RAF Fairford had already been increased earlier this year, when the United States and Israel went to war with Iran. On February 28, the day the war began, roads surrounding the base were closed to traffic. In March, screening was installed along the base perimeter to prevent it from being photographed after the site became a draw for aviation enthusiasts following the arrival of U.S. bombers.
In June, the U.S. government announced that it would invest about $500 million in “expansion and military infrastructure” at the base, an investment believed to include a new hangar complex.