Key facts
- Five men were arrested near RAF Fairford on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
- Three suspicious white vans were found near the US-operated military base.
- Petrol was found, but no explosive devices, during searches.
- The five arrested men, all UK nationals in their early 20s, have been released on bail.
- Residents reported feeling uninformed and unsafe during the investigation.
- Armed police pointed guns at a resident who stepped outside his home during the evacuation.
Residents living near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire have expressed feeling "left feeling like sitting ducks" amid a counter-terrorism investigation that led to the arrest of five men on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. The incident unfolded in the early hours of Sunday when Gloucestershire Constabulary received a call about three suspicious vehicles travelling towards the US-operated military airbase.
A 400-meter (1,312ft) cordon was established, a bomb disposal team was deployed, and 85 homes were evacuated. Counter Terrorism Policing revealed on Tuesday that searches found a quantity of petrol but no explosive devices. The five men, all UK nationals in their early 20s and from London, have since been released on bail, described by Counter Terrorism Policing as an "investigative decision and one which is grounded in experience and strategy".
Residents voiced concerns about the lack of communication from authorities in the days leading up to the incident and the subsequent reassurance. One anonymous resident from Whelford noted an "uneasiness in the air" and increased security measures around the airbase prior to the event. However, she praised the response of local authorities as "incredible" and "warm, caring and efficient".
A couple recounted being evacuated from their home, with the husband alleging that armed police pointed guns at him when he stepped outside. They described being briefly trapped inside their home with their child before escaping through a neighbour's property. After returning home, they found the van doors had been "blown off" and their contents emptied.
Temporary Chief Constable Maggie Blyth of Gloucestershire Constabulary stated that the force was limited in what information could be shared due to the ongoing investigation but assured that information points would be set up for reassurance. In Marston Meysey, a village across the border in Wiltshire, residents also expressed a desire for more information and equal treatment from Wiltshire Police.