British counter-terrorism police released on bail on Saturday 3 October 2026 a 25-year-old British-Iranian man detained as part of an investigation into activity near Fairford air base in Gloucestershire, as inquiries continued into the circumstances of the incident and the possibility of foreign state involvement.
Suspect detained in Westminster
The man was detained on Thursday 1 October in Westminster, central London, on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Police said searches of two properties in the area had concluded, while the investigation into events near the base continued.
The man's detention followed a security incident that began at about 12:45am on Sunday 27 September, when Gloucestershire Police received a report of three suspicious vehicles travelling towards Fairford air base. Armed units responded and detained five men in the nearby area of Whelford.
The five detainees were aged between 23 and 25 and were all British nationals living in London. They were initially detained on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act, before also being suspected of preparing a terrorist act. The authorities released the five men on bail after questioning, but they remained under investigation.
British authorities said searches found petrol in the vehicles but no explosives. Counter-terrorism police led the investigation, with the involvement of local and national security agencies, the Ministry of Defence and other bodies, before residents were allowed to return home after part of the on-site operation was completed.
Multi-track investigation and possible foreign involvement
Vicky Evans, the national senior co-ordinator for counter-terrorism policing, said the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the events in Gloucestershire was highly complex and that specialist teams were pursuing multiple lines of inquiry. She added that investigators were examining every possibility, including potential involvement by a foreign state.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his country had “strong indications” that Iran had played a role in the incident, while stressing that the investigation remained complex, serious and ongoing, and that British authorities were working closely with their US counterparts. Burnham gave no details about the nature of the role Tehran was suspected of playing or the activity the detainees had intended to carry out.
Iran denied any connection to the incident, while its embassy in London rejected speculation linking Tehran to the suspects' detention. British authorities are treating possible foreign state involvement as one line of inquiry, without announcing a final finding.
Fairford air base is about 160 kilometres west of London and is used by the US Air Force for its operations. The base has been used by US bombers in military operations in the Middle East, including strikes targeting Iran during the war in 2026.
US officials had criticised the decision to release the first five detainees on bail, while British officials said the decision was based on the investigation strategy and the expertise of counter-terrorism agencies.
With the release of the British-Iranian man, all six people detained in the case are now out on bail as investigations continue.
