The suspects arrested over a potential terror plot near an RAF base used by the US are all British nationals aged in their 20s and from London, say police.

They are a 24-year-old from Camden, north London; three men aged 23, 24 and 25 from Westminster, and one aged 24 from Willesden, north-west London.

The men were arrested in Whelford, Gloucestershire in the early hours of Sunday, initially on suspicion of explosives offences and later terrorism.

The group were “looking to do big damage”, US President Donald Trump has claimed.

A farmer in Whelford dialled 999 after she saw three vans and a group of masked men near RAF Fairford, and dozens of homes had to be evacuated as bomb disposal teams were called in to deal with the major incident.

The base is used by US planes to carry out bombing missions against Iran.

Counter-terrorism police are understood to be investigating if any potential plot could be linked to Iran, which has used proxies to carry out crimes on British soil in the past.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting praised the farmer for raising the alarm over the alleged terrorism incident after she came across the group of men wearing balaclavas in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He hinted that Britain’s security services had been aware of a potential plot to target the base.

But security experts say the UK and US authorities may not have been aware of the specific terror attack which was allegedly thwarted.

On Monday, Counter-Terrorism Policing (CTP) said that multiple new lines of inquiry have emerged after investigators were working at the scene overnight.

CTP Senior National Coordinator, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said: “This is a hugely complex and large-scale operation, involving local and national policing, the MoD, and local agencies, who are working together to progress the investigation and support for the community.

“I know this has been incredibly disruptive for local people, but I’d like to reassure them that our activity is in the interest of national security, but most importantly in the interest of their own safety.

“I’d also like to thank the emergency services for their response, including the armed officers who first attended the scene, not knowing what they may face.

“I am very aware of the levels of speculation about the motivation behind this incident, and the geopolitical questions that are being raised. However, I ask that at this time, Counter Terrorism Policing are given the space to work carefully and clearly.”

The five suspects are being held under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (Pace) and officers have been granted an initial extension under later today to hold them in custody.

A police cordon remains in place in Whelford and will be reviewed later today, CTP said.

The farmer, who was driving near the base shortly before 1am on Sunday, dialled 999 after spotting the vehicles “blocking the road” before seeing a “large group of hooded and ‘balaclava’d’ men”.

The Whelford resident said “they would have seen the bright headlights” and “they probably thought we were the police (and) panicked”.

She added: “It would appear that by doing so I just derailed whatever they were planning.”

Officers arrived on the scene about 15 minutes after she raised the alarm, she said.

Residents had at the time understood the base was on lockdown because of a “terror threat”, the woman added.

Gloucestershire Constabulary said it received reports of the suspicious vehicles travelling to the base at about 12.45am on Sunday.

Officers arrested the men under the Explosives Act and they were later further arrested under suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act.

Suspects detained under the Terrorism Act 2000 can be held for up to 14 days without charge, compared to the 24-hour limit for standard arrests without an extension application.

Aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot spending hours inspecting three white vans, two of which had open rear doors. Large black barrels appeared to be scattered around.

A 400-metre cordon was erected and 85 evacuated households were unable to return home overnight. Cotswold District Council was seeking accommodation for some.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the incident was “deeply concerning” and the Government would “always take every step necessary” to protect people.

The arrests come amid heightened concerns around the threat from hostile states to the UK, with Russia and Iran among those that have used proxies to commit crimes on their behalf on British soil.

In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states including Iran increased 50% in the six months to December 2025.

That same month, after then prime minister Sir Keir Starmer granted permission for “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases, four American bombers landed at RAF Fairford and the US started using British bases for “specific defensive operations”.

Separately, a spate of antisemitic attacks on Jewish sites in London this year were claimed by a group called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (Hayi), which is thought to be backed by Iran.