No improvised explosive devices have been found during a counter-terrorism investigation into a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, police have said.
A quantity of petrol was recovered while officers searched vehicles near the Gloucestershire air base, which is used by United States forces. Searches have also been carried out at properties in London.
Investigative scenes around RAF Fairford are being scaled back and are expected to close completely by Wednesday, police said.
Five men arrested on Sunday remain under investigation after being released on bail. All are UK citizens in their 20s and are from London.
Laurence Taylor, head of national counter-terrorism policing, said the decision to release the men was investigative rather than an indication that the inquiry had ended.
“I understand why this development will have come as a surprise to many but I’d like to reiterate that it was investigative decision, and one which is grounded in experience and careful consideration of policing powers,” he said.
Mr Taylor said the suspects face stringent conditions and “absolutely remain under investigation”. Police would not confirm when they are due to answer bail.
The men are a 24-year-old from Camden, north London; a 23-year-old; two 24-year-olds; and a 25-year-old, all from Westminster in central London.
A police cordon remained around three vans found close to the base as armed officers and counter-terrorism specialists examined the scene. Army bomb-disposal experts used a robot to inspect the vehicles.
A local farmer told police she had seen the vans blocking a road near the air base as she drove home in the early hours of Sunday. She said she then came across a group of men, some with their faces covered, who ran away when they saw her vehicle.
Residents reported heightened security around RAF Fairford in recent days, including heavy vehicles positioned across entrance gates. Dozens of villagers were moved from their homes on Sunday morning and were gradually returning as the area began to return to normal.
RAF Fairford houses the headquarters of the US Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and is a forward operating location for the US Air Force Global Strike Command. The base was used during the 1990 Gulf War, the 2003 Iraq war and the US-Israeli bombardment of Iran this year.
