US Secretary of State Says 'Foreign Actor' Behind RAF Fairford Plot as Evacuated Residents Return

Residents of the Cotswold village of Whelford have begun returning to their homes after being evacuated early on Sunday 27 September as a precaution following a major police incident at nearby RAF Fairford. About 85 households were moved to a local leisure centre, though some residents remain hesitant to return while the investigation continues.

Five British men, all aged between 23 and 25 and from London, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and preparing an act of terrorism. According to reports from a national broadcaster, the men have since been released on police bail and remain under investigation, subject to strict conditions on their movements and contact with others. No explosive material was found during initial examination of the three vans they were travelling in.

One local resident who has not yet returned home expressed concern about the incident.

I haven't gone home as I want to wait until I know more about what the hell happened, as it feels super dodge to me,

the resident said, noting that police have advised people not to take photographs and to remain inside their properties. A cordon remains in place around the three vans, which are being examined by counter-terrorism police two days after the incident.

What prompted the police response?

The incident began after police received a call at 00:45 BST on Sunday 27 September about three suspicious vehicles apparently travelling towards the airbase. A farmer driving home from a party spotted the men and reported suspicious activity to officers. She described seeing individuals she believed were wearing balaclavas who ran away when her headlights illuminated them. According to available reports, the police operation was not intelligence-led, meaning officers were responding to the farmer's emergency call rather than acting on prior security information.

What does the US say about foreign involvement?

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that the suspected plot clearly involved a foreign actor, though he declined to provide specific evidence or further details.

I have to be careful, there are some things I cannot say on the air for a lot of different reasons. Suffice it to say, that what happened, what almost happened, what could have happened, in the UK over the weekend, is a very serious situation. It's one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor,

Rubio said during an appearance on the Hannity programme.

He added that the UK authorities had been

very cooperative

in relation to the

serious incident

and have been

on top of it.

Rubio expressed concern that

a lot of people are disturbed

by the fact that the five suspects were released on bail.

US President Donald Trump went further in his comments, telling reporters at the White House that he would not have released the suspects on bail.

We know everything about them. We would not have released them,

Trump said. When asked whether the case was linked to Iran, he responded:

It might be.

Trump also suggested the plot was known to US authorities, though British sources indicated that the specific activities of the men were unknown to UK officials before the farmer's call.

Why is RAF Fairford a potential target?

RAF Fairford is the only military airbase on Britain's mainland used by the United States for bombing operations. The UK granted the US permission in March 2026 to use the facility for

specific defensive operations into Iran

to destroy Iranian missiles at source. US bombers and other aircraft have since been observed taking off and landing from the base, with a B-1 Lancer bomber pictured taking off on the morning of 29 September despite the ongoing security situation.

The presence of American military aircraft conducting strikes on Iran raises the possibility that the Gloucestershire site and surrounding area could become targets for retaliatory attacks. Iran has previously stated it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement on 23 July declaring that any bases used by the US to attack Iran, including Fairford, were

legitimate targets.

Fairford residents have faced similar concerns in the past. During the first Gulf War (1990–91), when Iraq invaded Kuwait and prompted a US-led coalition including the UK to respond, the base was home to B-52 bombers. At that time, residents expressed a mixture of trepidation and eagerness to welcome American military personnel.

What are local politicians saying?

Roz Savage, the Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds whose constituency covers the military base, has expressed scepticism and concern over the security response to threats made by Iran.

Ever since it was first announced six months ago that RAF Fairford was going to be used as the base for US military airstrikes on Iran, I've been asking questions of the government about whether they can assure my residents, my constituents, of their safety. They had given that assurance. However, I feel that the events of this weekend do cast that into doubt.

Savage said she had many questions about the circumstances of how the alleged plot was averted and indicated she would be writing to the prime minister and the defence secretary with her concerns.

Who knew what? When did they know it? Where was the ball dropped? What more could have been done to secure the safety and security of my constituents?

she asked.

Tristan Wilkinson, a cabinet member for Cotswold district council and councillor for the Lechlade, Kempsford and Fairford South ward covering Whelford, expressed similar concerns.

The American president indicated last night in front of journalists that there was some intelligence and that these individuals were under surveillance. If that was to be true, that they would have been allowed to get so close to the base and drive what was, at the time, believed to be bombs into residential areas of a small village, I can't imagine the security services allowing that to happen.

What is the current status of the investigation?

The head of UK counter-terrorism policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, said the release of the men on bail did not mean the investigation was over. Counter-terrorism police are examining whether the alleged offences involved proxies or people knowingly or unknowingly working for a foreign state. An Iranian link remains under investigation, as is whether any of the five were paid to gather in Whelford, two miles from RAF Fairford.

Police have not charged the suspects, and their release on bail suggests detectives believe it is unlikely they were on the brink of a mass casualty attack. Initial examination of the vans led police to suspect they carried explosive materials, with assessments made as to whether they were viable improvised explosive devices. However, after the suspects' release on Monday 28 September, it emerged that no explosive material had been found.

Taylor acknowledged there was speculation over whether Iran was behind the incident but insisted the force was considering

every possible angle.

The investigation remains ongoing with multiple lines of inquiry.

What do political leaders say about the bail decision?

Speaking at the Labour party's conference in Liverpool, Labour's deputy leader Lucy Powell refused to provide details on what she described as a live police investigation.

Bail and those kind of decisions are operational decisions for the police and they are not taken by ministers, and nor should they ever be. And I am very grateful and I trust our police and the judgments that they come to,

Powell told a national broadcaster.

What is the broader context?

Tehran has been attempting to step up attacks on targets in the West over the past three years as fighting in the Middle East has expanded following October 2023, and particularly after the US joined Israel to begin a full-scale military campaign against Iran in February 2026. While Iranian propagandists make heavy threats about British military bases online, Iran's actual threat capability remains mixed and contested among security analysts.

Iran's embassy in London has denied any speculation linking the country to the arrests of the five suspects near RAF Fairford. The investigation into the incident continues, with police yet to establish a clear motive for the men's actions.

Key Facts

• Five British nationals aged 23 to 25 from London were arrested on 27 September on suspicion of explosives offences and preparing an act of terrorism; they have been released on police bail under strict conditions.
• About 85 households in Whelford were evacuated early on 27 September as a precaution; some residents have returned home while others remain hesitant.
• No explosive material was found during examination of the three vans, though initial assessments suggested they might contain improvised explosive devices.
• RAF Fairford is the only UK mainland airbase used by the US for bombing operations against Iran, making it a potential target for retaliatory action.
• The investigation remains ongoing with multiple lines of inquiry, including whether the suspects were working for or paid by a foreign state.