GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTER-T*RRORISM POLICE ARREST FIVE MEN NEAR RAF FAIRFORD AS 85 HOMES EVACUATED IN ENGLAND
Five men remain in custody Sunday after Gloucestershire counter-t*rrorism police declared a major incident near RAF Fairford following reports of three suspicious vehicles traveling toward the British airbase used by United States Air Force operations. Armed officers responded shortly after midnight and arrested the men in the Welford area on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act. 85 homes evacuated Gloucestershire England as authorities established a 400-meter cordon around the vehicles.
The arrests occurred around 12:45 AM Sunday when police received reports of three suspicious vehicles heading toward RAF Fairford. Armed response units intercepted the vehicles in Welford and took five men into custody. Counter-t*rrorism policing units are now leading the investigation.
BREAKING: Five men were arrested and remain in custody as counter-terror police lead the investigation after a major incident was declared near an RAF base.
Police were called to reports of three suspicious vehicles.
The men remain in custody. 85 homes have been evacuated. pic.twitter.com/qD9ZHKGUEo
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 27, 2026
Authorities established a 400-meter cordon around the three vehicles while the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit conducts examinations. The cordon forced the evacuation of roughly 85 households in the surrounding area as a precautionary measure. A nearby leisure center has been opened to accommodate residents unable to stay with family or friends.
A Gloucestershire Constabulary spokesperson confirmed the timeline and response. Police received the initial call relating to three suspicious vehicles traveling toward RAF Fairford just before 1 AM Sunday. Armed officers arrested five men in the Welford area on suspicion of committing offenses under the Explosives Act. The men were taken into custody where they remain as of Sunday afternoon.
The Army’s bomb disposal unit is examining all three vehicles within the established cordon. The 400-meter perimeter remains in place while those examinations continue. Emergency services have activated established protocols for dealing with major incidents of this nature.
Gloucestershire Police emphasized ongoing coordination with counter-t*rrorism partners both locally and nationally. Work to establish the full nature of the incident continues. Police asked the public not to speculate and to follow official channels for updates.
RAF Fairford serves as a forward operating location for United States Air Force strategic bomber operations in Europe. The base has hosted B-52 and B-2 bomber deployments and serves as a critical staging point for American military air power projection. Any suspicious approach to the installation triggers immediate security response.
The timing of the incident and the nature of the arrests under the Explosives Act raise serious questions about intent. Three vehicles traveling together toward a sensitive military installation in the early morning hours prompted armed response and bomb disposal deployment. Counter-t*rrorism units do not lead investigations without substantive cause.
The evacuation of 85 households underscores the seriousness with which authorities are treating the threat. Families were removed from their homes in the middle of the night and directed to emergency shelter. That level of disruption does not happen for minor concerns.
Gloucestershire Police thanked residents for their understanding and cooperation during the evacuation. Authorities acknowledged the disruption caused to families forced to leave their homes and assured them that work is proceeding as quickly as possible to allow their return.
The five men arrested remain in police custody as the investigation continues. No names have been released. No charges have been filed publicly as of Sunday afternoon. The Explosives Act arrests indicate the nature of the suspected offenses but authorities have not disclosed what was found in the vehicles or what the men are alleged to have been planning.
RAF Fairford has long been a target of security concern given its role in American and NATO air operations. The base’s strategic importance makes it a potential target for hostile actors seeking to disrupt Western military capability. British authorities maintain heightened security protocols around the installation at all times.
The incident follows established patterns of suspicious vehicle approaches to sensitive military sites across Europe. In several previous cases, individuals later charged with t*rrorism-related offenses conducted surveillance or attempted unauthorized access to installations used by American forces.
Counter-t*rrorism policing units will now determine whether the five men arrested were acting alone or as part of a broader network. The examination of the three vehicles will reveal whether explosives or materials for constructing explosive devices were present. Those findings will determine the charges filed and the scope of any continuing investigation.
Residents affected by the evacuation have been urged to monitor official police channels for updates on when they can return home. Emergency services remain on scene coordinating the response. The leisure center opened to house evacuated families will remain available until the cordon is lifted.
Gloucestershire Constabulary has requested that the public avoid speculation and rely solely on official information. The investigation is ongoing and authorities are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the arrests and the three suspicious vehicles.
The republic’s national security depends on the vigilance of allied partners willing to confront threats to shared military infrastructure. RAF Fairford’s role in American strategic operations makes it a high-value target, and the response to suspicious activity near the base demonstrates the seriousness with which British authorities treat potential threats to installations critical to Western defense.