UK terror police probe incident at US Air Force base

British counterterrorism police yesterday reportedly responded to a major incident near a base used by the US Air Force after several men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offenses.

Villagers in the nearby village of Whelford had been evacuated and army bomb disposal experts were “currently examining a number of vehicles,” police in the southwestern county of Gloucestershire said in a statement.

Several UK media, including the BBC and Sky News, reported that the counterterrorism force was leading the investigation into the incident near RAF Fairford.

A police officer blocks a road near the RAF Fairford air base, which hosts US Air Force personnel, in England yesterday.

Photo: Reuters

A cordon is in place, and officers said the incident had been “contained.”

Broadcast aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot on a rural road moving around two white vans with their rear doors open and a third with its doors closed.

Villager Julian Tudsbury told the BBC another resident alerted police to three “suspicious vans” in the village in the early hours.

In March, then-British prime minister Keir Starmer granted permission for “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from two UK bases including Fairford.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being kept updated on the incident, a government spokesperson said.

“We are grateful to the emergency services, who have acted quickly to detain several suspects and put measures in place to keep the community safe,” the spokesperson said. “It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing.”

British Secretary of State for Defence Wes Streeting thanked “emergency and specialist teams” deployed to the scene.

“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with,” he said on social media.

Media reported a large emergency services presence in the area including a Hazardous Area Response Team.

“A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident,” Gloucestershire police said.

Several men had been arrested “on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act,” the force added.

Residents from the nearby village of Whelford had been evacuated to a nearby leisure center, police said.

Whelford is adjacent to the British Royal Air Force Fairford base which is also used by the US Air Force.

Fairford is the UK base of the 501st Combat Support Wing, a US Air Force administrative support wing.

It said in a statement that no US air force personnel had been involved in the incident.

“The 501st Combat Support Wing appreciates the swift response and continued support of our local law enforcement partners,” it said.

“We remain in close coordination with our UK partners to help ensure the safety and security of both our military and local communities,” it added.

Roz Savage, the lawmaker representing the area, described the situation as “worrying.”

“I have contacted the police for further updates and I’ve been told that it is believed the incident is contained,” she said on social media.

The incident comes amid concerns about the actions of hostile foreign states.