Police officers guard an area near RAF Fairford, an airbase in Fairford, Gloucestershire, England, on Sep. 29, 2026 [Toby Shepheard/Reuters]
British man arrested over suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford, BBC says
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- British counter-terrorism police have detained a 22-year-old man in London in connection with an investigation near RAF Fairford.
- The man was arrested in Westminster on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, police said.
- Six other people previously detained in the investigation have been released on bail.
British police have arrested a 22-year-old man in London as part of an investigation into suspicious activity near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, Counter Terrorism Policing said on Tuesday.
The British national was detained in Westminster on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, marking the seventh arrest since the incident near the US-operated airbase on Sept. 27. Police also searched a property in the Westminster area.
The six other people arrested during the investigation have been released on police bail.
The investigation began after officers received reports of three vehicles travelling towards the airbase in the early hours of Sept. 27. The ensuing security operation involved armed police and bomb-disposal teams, while residents in the surrounding area were evacuated.
Five men in their 20s were initially detained near the base on suspicion of explosives-related offences and later investigated on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. They were subsequently released on bail.
Police later said searches of the vehicles had found a quantity of petrol but no explosive devices.
A sixth suspect, a dual British-Iranian national, was arrested in Westminster on Oct. 1 on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. Counter Terrorism Policing identified him as 27 years old, although some earlier reports gave a different age. He was subsequently released on bail.
Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said the investigation remained active and that specialist officers were examining multiple possible explanations for the events.
British authorities have also been examining possible foreign-state involvement. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said there were strong indications of an Iranian role, while Tehran has denied involvement.
RAF Fairford is a major US military airbase in Gloucestershire and has long been used by the US Air Force, including as a base for heavy bombers.
