Five UK nationals arrested near RAF Fairford released on bail

Five British men arrested near RAF Fairford on suspicion of terrorism offences have been released on police bail, but remain under investigation. Counter Terrorism Policing said the men, aged 23 to 25 and from London, were released subject to "stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others" Source: BBC. The arrests followed a late-night alert from a local farmer who spotted three suspicious vans and a group of "hooded and masked men" near the base Source: BBC.

The suspected plot

Police were called at around 00:45 BST on Sunday after reports of three vehicles travelling towards RAF Fairford, a base used by the US Air Force for operations against Iran Source: Al Jazeera. The men were initially detained under the Explosives Act and later rearrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act Source: The Guardian. A 400-metre cordon was established, 85 households were evacuated, and bomb disposal robots were deployed Source: CNN.

Conflicting accounts of prior knowledge

Sources disagree on whether the plot was foiled by the farmer's 999 call or by pre-existing surveillance. The farmer told the BBC she believed her call "foiled whatever plans they had" Source: BBC. However, US President Donald Trump claimed the suspects "were under view for a long time, and we got them" Source: Al Jazeera. UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting suggested the farmer had only a "partial picture" and praised security services, without directly confirming prior surveillance Source: The Guardian.

The Iran question

Investigators are exploring "multiple lines of inquiry," including whether the plot was linked to Iran Source: BBC. A source told The Daily Telegraph that an Iranian link was considered the most likely motive Source: CNBC. Iran's embassy in London "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" the speculation, calling it "fabricated speculations" aimed at fuelling "Iranophobia propaganda" Source: Al Jazeera. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the UK would "act against the proxies of Iran" Source: Al Jazeera.