British counter-terrorism police say they found no explosive devices in the vehicles of five men arrested near a military base in southwest England. The men, all British and aged 23 to 25, were detained on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism near RAF Fairford, a base used by the US military. They were released on bail on Monday, which surprised many in the UK and the US.
Counter-terrorism chief Laurence Taylor said the vehicles were examined in depth with military support and forensic experts, and no improvised explosive device was found. However, a large amount of petrol was seized. He defended the decision to release the men, saying it was purely an investigative move based on experience and a careful review of the legal framework.
US President Donald Trump reacted, saying he would not have released them. He said on Sunday that the suspects wanted to cause major damage and had been on the US radar for a long time. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the case clearly involves a foreign actor, but refused to give details. Iran has categorically denied any involvement.
The alert was raised by a farmer overnight from Saturday to Sunday, who reported three suspicious vehicles heading towards the base. She told the BBC she saw a large group of masked men while driving home. Aerial images showed the vans carrying barrels, and at least one had a fake logo suggesting it belonged to a fuel transport company. Police are scaling back their investigation and expect to close the sites by Wednesday.
Reference
Le Monde avec AFP. (2026, September 29). Alerte près d’une base militaire en Angleterre : aucun engin explosif n’a été retrouvé dans les véhicules des suspects [Alert near UK military base: no explosive devices found in suspects’ vehicles]. Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2026/09/29/alerte-pres-d-une-base-militaire-en-angleterre-aucun-engin-explosif-n-a-ete-retrouve-dans-les-vehicules-des-suspects_6785689_3210.html