Several detained near US Fairford airbase in UK on suspicion of explosives offences
Several individuals were detained in the UK on 27 September near the US Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act in connection with a serious incident in the village of Welford. Residents were evacuated and a military bomb disposal unit deployed. US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been under long-term surveillance and had planned major damage to the base, while authorities have not established any link to Iran.
Key points
- Detentions occurred on 27 September 2026 in Welford, a few kilometres from the US Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire.
- Suspects are held on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act; counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation, according to one source.
- Residents of Welford are being evacuated to a nearby leisure centre.
- A specialised military bomb disposal unit is examining vehicles at the scene; armed police have set up a cordon.
- Trump said the detainees had been under long-term surveillance and planned major damage to the US base, but offered no motive.
- Authorities have not confirmed or established any link between the suspects and Iran.
- Fairford airbase has previously been used for US operations against Iran during the Middle East conflict.
Why it matters
The incident involves a suspected plot targeting a US military airbase on NATO territory. Fairford has been used for US operations against Iran, raising the prospect of an Iranian-linked motive, though no such link has been established. The case is being handled by UK counter-terrorism policing and involves specialised military bomb disposal resources. US President Donald Trump publicly commented on the arrests, underscoring the diplomatic dimension between Washington and London.
What happened
On 27 September 2026, several individuals were detained in the village of Welford, a few kilometres from the US Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire, on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act in connection with a serious incident. Residents of Welford were evacuated to a nearby leisure centre. A specialised military bomb disposal unit was deployed to examine a number of vehicles, and armed police secured a cordon around the village. Gloucestershire Police said the incident is under the control of law enforcement, and a significant number of emergency services, including a hazard response team, were observed in the area. According to one source, the investigation is being led by counter-terrorism police, who suspect the detainees of preparing an act of terrorism. Reuters reported increased security measures at Fairford airbase.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both Ukrainian-language sources frame the arrests in the context of heightened threats to the US Fairford base and explicitly link the location to past US strikes on Iran and prior IRGC warnings about bombers taking off from Fairford. The second Ukrainian article centres President Donald Trump's public statements on the arrests, including his characterisation of the suspects as long-surveilled plotters aiming to inflict major damage on the base, while noting he provided no motive. Both Ukrainian sources underscore that authorities have neither confirmed nor established any connection between the suspects and Iran.
Where reporting differs
One source does not characterise the suspects as preparing an act of terrorism or refer to counter-terrorism policing, while the other reports that counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation and that the suspects are suspected of preparing a terrorist act.
Background
Fairford airbase has been used for US operations against Iran during the Middle East conflict. In July, the UK's armed forces publicly stated readiness to defend the country after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned against allowing US bombers to take off from Fairford. NATO stated it was ready to counter any threat and would do whatever necessary to protect all allies. The Financial Times reported in August that Iran began considering possible strikes on US facilities in southeastern European countries in case of further US escalation.