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London police announced on Sunday the arrest of five individuals suspected of planning a 'terrorist act', following a 'major incident' that occurred at night near a military base used by the US Air Force in western England.
The Metropolitan Police, while announcing the arrest of the suspects, stated that 'it can now be confirmed that the Counter Terrorism Police are leading an investigation into an incident that occurred at night near the Royal Air Force base in Fairford, Gloucestershire'.
Gloucestershire Police said in a statement that Army bomb disposal experts 'are currently examining a number of vehicles' near the Royal Air Force base in Fairford and neighboring houses have been evacuated.
It added that a security cordon has been set up, indicating that the'major incident' has been contained.
A government spokesman said Prime Minister Andy Burnham is being kept updated on the latest developments.
He added 'We are grateful to the emergency services, which acted quickly to detain several suspects and put in place measures to keep the community safe'
He noted that 'it would be inappropriate to comment further on the matter, as long as the investigations are still ongoing'
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Fairford is a British base that houses the 501st Combat Support Squadron, an administrative wing of the US Air Force.
The US Air Force said in a statement that the incident did not involve any of its personnel, saying 'We continue to coordinate closely with our British partners to ensure the safety of our troops and the population'
In March, former Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized the United States to carry out 'defensive' operations against Iranian missile sites from two British bases, including Fairford.
According to British media, specialized devices have been deployed in the area, including a team specialized in interventions in dangerous areas.
The police said that several houses in the nearby village of Wilford were evacuated, and residents were moved to a nearby recreational center, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
This incident comes amid growing concerns about the movements of foreign countries on British soil, as British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood accused Iran and Russia of recruiting individuals to carry out criminal operations in the United Kingdom.
According to data published by The Independent newspaper in mid-September, British military sites have been targeted by drones more than 300 times in the past twelve months.
The Ministry of Defense did not provide any information on the origin of these drones, but these incidents came at a time when European countries are condemning the increasing multi-pronged attacks on their territories attributed to Russia.
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