The base is currently being used by the US Air Force to help with defensive against against Iran, and a spokesman for the USAF said that thy were ‘aware’ of reports, but would not comment on it.
Several men have been arrested on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and residents have been evacuated from a number of homes in the Whelford area, near RAF Fairford, following the declaration of a major incident, Gloucestershire Police said.
The base is currently being used by the US Air Force to help with defensive against against Iran, and a spokesman for the USAF said that thy were “aware” of reports, but would not comment on it. Gloucestershire Police said at the time: “A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident. It follows the arrest of several men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act.
“The Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team are currently examining a number of vehicles. The local residents are being evacuated to a nearby leisure centre.
“A cordon is currently in place but we’d like to reassure people that we believe this incident is contained. We are working closely with our partners and are enacting the well-rehearsed plans we have in place.”
And in a later update, they said that their “primary concern” was on the welfare of local residents.
Counter Terrorism Policing Senior National Coordinator, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said: We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody. As you would expect we are working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident.
“We continue to work with Gloucestershire Police to keep the community safe as we work to gather evidence from the scene. A 400m cordon has been put in place around the vehicles while the Army’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit conduct examinations. As a precaution, around 85 households have been evacuated whilst these examinations take place.”
People living near the scene of the arrests, in the village of Whelford, close to the entrance to the base, have been evacuated. The Army’s EOD explosives ordnance disposal team are currently examining a number of vehicles.
Intelligence reports suggest the RAF Fairford has been put on its highest possible alert – FPCON Delta – the Pentagon’s top force-protection level.
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