LONDON — A farmer’s pre-dawn alert about a group of hooded and masked men appears to have sparked a massive security operation around a British base the U.S. Air Force used to facilitate strikes on Iran. A major incident was declared, with a large emergency presence seen around the air base, shaking the normally quiet rural area in rural Cotswolds.
Five men were later arrested on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses, and dozens of homes were evacuated near the base. Counterterrorism police are now leading the investigation. Asked if U.K. authorities knew of the threat ahead of time or only became aware after being called by a concerned farmer as has been reported, British Defense Minister Wes Streeting told U.K. broadcaster Sky News Monday that the member of the public “did the right thing” and acted quickly.
However, she only had “a partial picture,” he added, without divulging more detail. A grainy image has also emerged appearing to show the suspects. The photo, which began circulating on social media Sunday morning, shows five men sitting on the ground topless and apparently handcuffed.
They are flanked by armed officers. The image has been verified by NBC News and geolocated to near RAF Fairford. NBC News could not locate the original source of the photo.
The suspects remain in custody, and their identities or possible motives have not been revealed, officials say. Another image showing three white vans near the air base has also circulated online. Fuel2U, a U.K. fuel delivery company, said in a statement that a version of its logo appeared on one of the vehicles, adding that neither the vehicle nor any of the individuals involved has any connection to it.
Early on, the operation prompted questions about a possible link to Iran. In March, then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave permission for the U.S. to use its bases for “specific and limited defensive” operations against Iran. In July, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Britain that “any base used to facilitate aggression against Iranian territory is considered a legitimate target,” Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported, specifically citing bomber aircraft flights taking off from Fairford.
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