Bail for Five in RAF Fairford Bomb Plot Probe Draws US Concern

Five young British men arrested near a US-operated air base in England on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences have been released on bail, a decision that has drawn expressions of surprise from senior US officials and left key questions unanswered.

The men, all British nationals in their twenties, were detained early on Sunday near RAF Fairford, a base that has hosted American bombers through decades of Middle East conflicts, including this year's war with Iran. Counterterrorism detectives said they were pursuing "multiple lines of inquiry," among them whether the suspects had any connection to Iran. Tehran has denied involvement.

The suspects were freed on bail on Monday. Laurence Taylor, who heads UK Counter Terrorism Policing, said the men remain subject to stringent conditions and "absolutely remain under investigation."

President Donald Trump told reporters he was taken aback by the release. "I'm surprised that they released them. I wouldn't have done that," he said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced similar unease, saying many people were disturbed by the news, and added in an interview that the case "clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor," without naming a country.

On Tuesday, a police cordon was still in place around three vans found near the base, where armed police and counterterrorism officers continued to examine the scene. Army bomb-disposal experts had earlier used a robot to inspect the vehicles. It was not clear what was found inside, but the decision to grant bail, along with the return of evacuated residents to their homes, suggested no viable explosives were discovered.

A local farmer said she called police after spotting the vans blocking a road as she drove home late on Saturday night, and that she then encountered a group of men, some with their faces covered, who fled when they saw her vehicle. She asked not to be identified because she was describing what she saw as potential security lapses. She also alleged that several hours passed between her call and the decision to evacuate the area.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the farmer had only a "partial picture" of the operation and that the UK "shouldn't be cowed by saber rattling from Iran," describing the Iranian regime as one that wishes harm to the country, its allies and their freedoms.

Taylor said investigators were examining whether the suspected offences were carried out by "proxies or individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state." Authorities have not concluded whether the incident was state-backed or what the motive was, though they have strongly hinted at possible Iranian involvement. They are also looking into possible links to Russia or non-state militant groups. RAF Fairford has previously been a focus for anti-war protests.

British intelligence services have said both Russia and Iran have used proxies to commit crimes on UK soil. In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving hostile state activity, including by Iran, rose by 50% in the six months to December 2025. It remained unclear whether the arrested men had been on the security services' radar. Residents described heightened security around the base in recent days, with heavy vehicles parked across entrance gates.

Trump said the suspects were detained after US-UK cooperation and had been "under view" for some time. Police, however, said the arrests were triggered by a late-night call about the suspicious vehicles near the base.