U.K. Authorities Release Suspects in Alleged Terror Plot at Military Base Hosting U.S. Forces

The five men arrested near an English military base used by U.S. bombers over a suspected terror plot are now out on bail.

As reported on Tuesday’s AM Update, the men have not been charged, but U.K. counterterrorism police say they remain under investigation.

The Arrests

The case began early Sunday near Royal Airforce base Fairford in southwest England after authorities received a call about three suspicious vehicles around 12:45am. A local farmer also called law enforcement after finding three vans blocking a village road.

Speaking with Sky News, the witness described seeing a “large group of men” who were “panicking” as she drove towards them. She said the men started to run after seeing headlights. “It’s such a flash moment of seeing them, but there were definitely more than five. We think maybe between eight and 10 of them were there at that point, and a lot of them had their faces covered,” she explained.

The farmer noted they were all wearing similar–to the point of looking coordinated–slim-fitting clothes. “Then I realized this was probably something a bit more unusual than undercover policemen parked in some vans,” she shared.

The woman said armed officers arrived within minutes of her call. Five men were arrested in Wellford, near the base, on suspicion of explosives offenses. Investigators later said the men were also suspected of preparing a terrorist act.

Asked whether law enforcement were looking for anyone else, Gloucester Police Chief Maggie Blyth told reporters she believed the incident was “contained.” Authorities identified the five arrested as British nationals from London, ages 23 to 25, but have not yet publicly identified them, in accordance with the law.

Investigators examined the three van as bomb disposal crews were called in and roughly 85 nearby households were evacuated. Police have not said publicly what, if anything, was found in the vehicles.

The Release

After questioning the men through Monday, U.K. counterterrorism chief Laurence Taylor announced their release on bail. “To be very clear, this does not mean that the investigation is over. They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others, they absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of inquiry,” he noted.

According to police, the men had been held under the country’s Police and Criminal Evidence Act instead of under terrorism laws. The Wall Street Journal reported the law allows law enforcement to impose bail restrictions while continuing their investigation for days or weeks. In contrast, detention under the U.K.’s terrorism laws generally require authorities to charge or release a suspect without bail within two weeks, according to The Journal.

Royal Air Force Fairford serves as a launch point for U.S. bombers flying missions in the war with Iran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned in July that any base used to launch those strikes would be considered a legitimate target and specifically cited Fairford.

On Sunday, President Trump praised the arrests, saying the U.S. had been investigating the men alongside U.K. authorities and believed they intended to do major damage. Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, the president expressed surprise the suspects were released.

“I’m surprised that they released it. Wouldn’t have done that,” Trump told reporters. “Look, they’ve been very good. They worked with us very closely. We know everything about them. We would not have released them.”

The Journal reported investigators are examining a possible connection to Iran or an Islamist group.

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