Five men arrested near RAF Fairford over a suspected terror plot have been released on police bail but remain under strict restrictions while investigators examine their alleged actions and possible motives.
Counter Terrorism Policing said the men, British nationals aged between 23 and 25 who live in London, were detained on suspicion of explosives offences and preparing a terrorist act under the Terrorism Act.
Laurence Taylor, an assistant commissioner with Counter Terrorism Policing, said the suspects had been released after “extensive” interviews, but stressed that the investigation was continuing.
“To be very clear, this does not mean that the investigation is over,” he said. “They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others. They absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of enquiry.”
The men were arrested before dawn on Sunday near the perimeter of the Gloucestershire air base, which is used by American aircraft. A local farmer alerted police after seeing a group of men wearing black balaclavas running towards the secure area at about 1.30am.
Police deployed roadblocks and security checks around RAF Fairford, while a bomb disposal robot was seen examining three white vans taken to the scene by the suspects.
The arrests prompted questions about the scale and nature of the alleged threat to the base and surrounding community. US President Donald Trump later said the men had been under surveillance for “a long time” and were trying to do “big damage” to the airfield.
British ministers and police officials cautioned against speculation about who may have been behind the incident. Mr Taylor said the investigation could involve “proxies” — people hired to act for a foreign state, either knowingly or unknowingly.
Iran has denied any involvement. Its embassy in the UK rejected claims that the Iranian government was connected to the arrests and accused those circulating them of fuelling “Iranophobia propaganda in the UK”.
“Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives,” it said.
The release of the five men on bail came about 38 hours after their arrest. Police said they remained subject to conditions on their movement and contact with others as multiple lines of inquiry continued.
