Five men suspected of committing offenses under the Explosives Act were arrested Sunday in an area near a U.S. air base, British police said.
Gloucestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone said officers received a call about three “suspicious vehicles” traveling toward RAF Fairford at around 12:45 a.m.
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Officers responded and arrested the men in the Whelford area, which is about two miles away from RAF Fairford, which hosts the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron.
A 400 meter cordon was put around the vehicles while the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit investigated them.
Around 85 households were told to evacuate “as a precaution,” Ocone said. Police later said at a news conference that those who evacuated won’t be able to return home Sunday evening.
Cotswold District Council Deputy Chief Executive David Stanley said local authorities have been sorting out overnight accommodations for those who are not staying with family and friends.
“The emergency services have well-rehearsed plans for dealing with major incidents,” Ocone said. “Work to establish the full nature of this incident is ongoing and we are in constant communication with our partners locally and nationally.”
Police said as of Sunday afternoon they believe the situation is “contained.”
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he understands the “incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country.”
He added that the investigation is ongoing, and urged people “not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.”
British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting on X thanked the emergency and specialist teams who “acted so swiftly regarding the incident in Gloucestershire.”
“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with, and it is exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7,” Streeting said.
U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in Chicago, said the U.S. and the British worked together on the operation to apprehend the suspects.
“It was an amazing job,” he said, according to The Associated Press.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force 501st Combat Support Wing based at RAF Fairford, said in a statement to ABC News that the unit “appreciates the swift response and continued support of our local law enforcement partners.”
“The safety and security of our airmen, families, and surrounding communities remains our highest priority,” the spokesperson said. “We remain in close coordination with our U.K. partners to help ensure the safety and security of both our military and local communities.”
Personnel based at RAF Fairford “remain vigilant,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force told the BBC.
“We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. has been using Fairford during attacks on Iran in the war that began on Feb. 28.
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