Trump says men arrested at UK air base used by US were looking to do 'big damage' - USA Today

British police arrested five men on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offenses on Sept. 27 near an air base that has been used by the United States to strike Iran, after a tip-off that three vans had been seen heading to the military airfield.

President Donald Trump said the suspects had been looking to do "big damage" and had been under investigation by British and U.S. authorities.

British counterterrorism detectives leading the investigation said police had received a call about three suspicious vehicles that appeared to be travelling toward RAF Fairford in the west of England early in the morning.

Five men were arrested by armed officers and later held on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. Police, who said they believed the incident was now contained, have not yet publicly stated who they assessed was involved.

An Iranian-linked motive is considered the most likely, Reuters reported, while a Russian sabotage operation or an Islamist plot were also being looked at.

"We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody," Counter Terrorism Policing Senior National Coordinator Vicki Evans said in a statement.

"As you would expect we are working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident."

Police said a quarter-mile cordon was in place around the base as the bomb disposal unit investigated the vans.  Local residents in 85 homes in a nearby village were evacuated and armed officers were patrolling the site.

The British government, which has given authorization to the United States to use bombers based at Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz, said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being updated on the incident.

Burnham thanked the police and armed forces, saying on X: "I know today's incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country."

Britain said in July its armed forces were ​ready to protect the country from any attack after Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned it not to allow U.S. bombers to ‌fly from Fairford, saying any base used to launch attacks would be a legitimate target.

"The arrest in the UK was fantastic," Trump told reporters, saying it was "an amazing job".

"We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort and working with the British worked out great ... We had them under view for a long time, and we got them," Trump added.

On Sept. 27, the base was blocked by armed police while large machinery also prevented access, and Reuters witnesses said security had been increased at other bases used by the United States, with armored vehicles and soldiers at the gates of RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in eastern England.

"The emergency services have well-rehearsed plans for dealing with major incidents," Gloucestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone told reporters. "A cordon is in place as a precaution and the public can expect to see an emergency services presence in the area for some time."

The U.S. Air Force declined to discuss specific force protection measures: "The 501st Combat Support Wing and our fellow UK-based Wings remain vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, civilians, contractors, and their families."

"We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families."

British ministers have also previously briefed providers of critical infrastructure on the threat posed by Russia, with the government increasingly concerned about possible sabotage operations and cyberattacks.

Russia denies mounting hybrid attacks on Western nations.