Five men arrested over ‘preparing terrorist act with plot to bomb RAF base’ – as

[SVPete]

Five men arrested over ‘preparing terrorist act with plot to bomb RAF base’ – as police robot probes three vans

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/40507346/homes-evacuated-raf-bomb-squad-probe-explosives-arrests/

FIVE men have been arrested over a suspected terrorist plot to bomb an RAF base as a robot probes three vans and 85 homes are evacuated.

The Army’s specialist bomb disposal team was scrambled to the scene to examine the vehicles after the men were arrested under the Explosives Act.

Three suspicious vehicles were spotted heading for RAF Fairford early this morning with police alerted and armed cops scrambled to the scene.

A total of 85 locals were evacuated from their homes in Whelford, Gloucestershire, near RAF Fairford and taken to a nearby leisure centre with police declaring a major incident early this morning.
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Whelford resident Julian Tudsbery, who has lived in the village for 30 years said a resident had reported three “suspicious vans” in the village in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“Evidently, they phoned the airbase police, who didn’t answer the phone,” he said. “It just rang out so she dialled 999.”

5 men arrested near UK air base used by US in Iran war on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act

https://apnews.com/article/britain-explosives-us-air-base-fairford-49495441036e78763e106bbeadd1e839

LONDON (AP) — U.K. police said Sunday that five men arrested in the middle of the night near an air base used by the United States during its war against Iran are being held on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act that appeared to involve three trucks.

London’s Metropolitan Police, which takes the lead on potential terrorist activities, said police received a call at 12:45 a.m. related to the three suspicious vehicles that appeared to be traveling toward RAF Fairford, a U.K.-owned base that is operated by the U.S. under an agreement dating back to the Cold War.

Fairford has been used by American bombers for strictly limited strikes against Iranian missile sites under an agreement with former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who voiced opposition to the war after it was launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28.
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U.S. President Donald Trump heaped praise on those involved with the arrests.

“It was an amazing job. We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort. And working with the British worked out great,” he told reporters in Chicago. “We had them under view for a long time and we got them.”