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    "parsed_content": "Police to Release 5 Men on Bail After Possible Terror Plot at U.K. Air BaseThe men remain under investigation with \u201cstringent conditions,\u201d a British official said. The base, R.A.F. Fairford, is used by the United States in its war against Iran.Sept. 28, 2026Updated 12:30 p.m. ETShare full articleImagePolice officers at an entrance to the R.A.F Fairford base in England on Monday.Credit...Leon Neal\/Getty ImagesSee more of our coverage in your search results.Encuentra m\u00e1s de nuestra cobertura en los resultados de b\u00fasqueda. Add The New York Times on GoogleAgrega The New York Times en Google Latest PinnedMichael D. Shear and Adam GoldmanHere\u2019s the latest.Counterterrorism police in Britain on Monday said that five men arrested in connection with a possible terror plot at a British military base were being released on bail but remained under investigation.Laurence Taylor, the head of Britain\u2019s counterterrorism police, said in a brief statement to reporters that the men would be \u201csubject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others.\u201dMr. Taylor acknowledged widespread speculation about whether the men, who were arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning near the base, R.A.F. Fairford, in southern England, were connected to Iran. The base has been used extensively by the United States in its bombing campaign against that country.Iran\u2019s embassy in London denied any connection to the suspected plot, saying in a statement on Monday that it \u201ccategorically rejects and strongly condemns\u201d what it called \u201cunfounded and malicious speculations\u201d about the incident.Mr. Taylor provided little information about the foiled plot but said that police are \u201cconsidering this from every possible angle, including that this may be actively committed by proxies or individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state.\u201dEarlier Monday, the counterterrorism police said in a statement that the five men were in their early 20s and were British nationals from London. The police have not named the men, in line with British policing rules that grant anonymity to suspects until they are charged.Mr. Taylor\u2019s statement did little to dispel the murkiness around what happened near the perimeter of the base on Sunday. Conflicting accounts about the incident have already raised questions about the security of the site.A bomb disposal robot spent most of the day examining three white vans that police said were driven by the suspects. Dozens of families living nearby were evacuated from their homes. Mr. Taylor said efforts were underway to let the families return as soon as possible. But he did not say whether investigators had found explosives in the vans.The United States Air Force primarily uses R.A.F. Fairford to deploy some of its largest bombers and has been at the center of controversy this year over its role in the American-Israeli war against Iran.In July, Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps warned the British government that allowing American bombers to conduct strikes against Iran would make \u201cLondon responsible for\u201d any consequences.Here\u2019s what else to know:Emergency meeting: Prime Minister Andy Burnham of Britain, who is expected to give a major policy speech at his Labour Party\u2019s conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, said that he would chair a meeting of the government\u2019s emergencies committee, known as Cobra, to discuss the Fairford incident with top government advisers on Monday afternoon.Trump claims: The announcement that the men would be released on bail was jarring in light of President Trump\u2019s comments on Sunday that they had intended to do \u201cbig damage\u201d to the air base and that authorities \u201chad them under view for a long time.\u201dShow moreSept. 28, 2026, 11:36 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Esther BintliffIn his statement, Taylor said that police were \u201ckeeping an open mind in this investigation.\u201d He also included an intriguing comment referring to several recent cases in Britain in which low-level criminals were paid to carry out attacks that were ultimately found to have been coordinated by hostile states or their proxies. \u201cOften this threat becomes visible to us as criminal activity, often at a small scale and committed by individuals whose primary aim is not terrorism but a quick financial gain,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cIt can be harder to spot, and to that end I would ask the public to remain vigilant.\u201dSept. 28, 2026, 11:22 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Adam GoldmanTaylor\u2019s annoucement that the suspects would be released on bail with no further explanation was somewhat jarring in light of President Trump\u2019s comments to reporters on Sunday. An exuberant Trump said the suspects had intended to do \u201cbig damage\u201d to the air base and praised the British police, describing their efforts as \u201cfantastic\u201d and \u201camazing.\u201d He added: \u201cWe had them under view for a long time and we got them.\u201d Now the five men are going to be freed on bail, but with stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others.Sept. 28, 2026, 11:05 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Michael D. ShearThe release of the five men on bail is sure to raise new questions about what investigators have \u2014 or have not yet \u2014 found at the scene and whether they believe the men were close to carrying out some kind of terrorist attack, particularly as the prime minister is set to chair an important national meeting on what happened.Sept. 28, 2026, 11:02 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Adam GoldmanMany questions about the episode remain unanswered. Taylor, the counter terrorism chief, did not say whether investigators had found explosives in the three vans that the suspects were driving. He did not discuss the potential target nor a motive. Nor did he take any questions from reporters.Sept. 28, 2026, 10:55 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Adam GoldmanThere was considerable confusion about whether the British police had been watching the suspects before the arrests after President Trump said on Sunday: \u201cWe had them under investigation.\u201d Counterterrorism experts said that typically investigators would arrest any suspects before they attempted to carry out an attack, suggesting that British authorities might have been aware of a general threat but not the specifics. Taylor did not address that confusion in his statement.ImageCredit...Doug Mills\/The New York TimesSept. 28, 2026, 10:52 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Esther BintliffTaylor said that he hopes that residents who were evacuated from their homes near R.A.F. Fairford on Sunday will be able to return later today.Sept. 28, 2026, 10:52 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Adam GoldmanThe plot has raised questions about whether Iran or Russia was involved. The attempted attack bore some similiarities to previous attacks coordinated by those countries. On Monday, Iran\u2019s embassy in London said it \u201ccategorically rejects and strongly condemns\u201d speculation that Iran was connected to what had happened.Sept. 28, 2026, 10:49 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Adam GoldmanTaylor provided little further information about the suspected terror attack, but said the police were investigating whether this plot was \u201cactively committed by proxies or individuals.\u201dSept. 28, 2026, 10:43 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Adam GoldmanA top British counterterrorism official, Laurence Taylor, said the five men arrested are being released on bail but remain under investigation.VideoCreditCredit...BBC, via ReutersSept. 28, 2026, 10:31 a.m. ETSept. 28, 2026Michael D. ShearPrime Minister Andy Burnham said Monday that he will chair a meeting of the government\u2019s emergencies committee, known as Cobra, to discuss the Fairford incident with top advisers on Monday afternoon. Mr. Burnham is attending the Labour Party\u2019s annual political conference in Liverpool, but told LBC Radio that he would convene the national security meeting before giving his keynote speech on Tuesday.Sept. 27, 2026, 6:49 a.m. ETSept. 27, 2026Michael D. Shear and Amelia NierenbergMichael D. Shear reported from Liverpool, England, and Amelia Nierenberg from London.5 are arrested on suspicion of terrorism near R.A.F. Fairford air base.VideoFive Men Arrested on Suspicion of Terrorism Near U.K. Military BaseThe British police arrested five men on Sunday near a military base on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism. The base, R.A.F. Fairford, is primarily used by the U.S. Air Force to deploy some of its largest bombers.CreditCredit...Justin Tallis\/Agence France-Presse \u2014 Getty ImagesThe British police arrested five men on Sunday on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism after receiving a call around 1 a.m. about three suspicious vehicles headed toward an air force base used by the American military.The base, R.A.F. Fairford, is primarily used by the United States Air Force to deploy some of its largest bombers and has been at the center of controversy this year over its role in the American-Israeli war against Iran.It is not yet clear whether Sunday\u2019s incident is connected to the conflict in the Middle East, but investigators are looking into whether there is any link to Iran or Russia. Both have been accused of orchestrating attacks on British soil.In July, Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps issued a statement warning the British government that a decision to allow American bombers to conduct strikes against Iran would make \u201cLondon responsible for\u201d any consequences.\u201cAny base used to launch attacks on Iranian territory is a legitimate target for our forces,\u201d it said.When asked by reporters on Sunday about the arrests, President Trump said, \u201cWorking with Britain \u2014 it was an amazing job.\u201d Appearing to refer to the suspects, he said: \u201cWe had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage.\u201dMr. Trump\u2019s statement raised questions about whether the suspects had been under surveillance and, if so, how they were able to get so close to the base, possibly with explosives.British officials said they had evacuated more than 85 homes in the rural village outside the air base in southern England early Sunday morning. On Sunday afternoon, hours after the arrests, aerial footage showed what appeared to be a bomb disposal robot continuing to operate near three white vans.\u201cA 400-meter cordon has been put in place around the vehicles while the army\u2019s explosive ordnance disposal unit conduct examinations,\u201d Vicki Evans, the deputy assistant commissioner of the British counterterrorism police, said in a statement.Ms. Evans said that the counterterrorism police were leading the investigation. She said that the five men remained in custody under suspicion of \u201cpreparation of a terrorist act\u201d and \u201csuspicion of committing offenses under the Explosives Act.\u201dThe men were not named, in line with British policing rules that grant public anonymity to suspects until they are charged.Officials did not provide any further information about what the five men were suspected of doing, and the local police took no questions during a brief appearance in front of reporters.After the arrests, the American Embassy in Britain issued a warning.\u201cU.S. citizens are encouraged to exercise caution and be mindful of personal security,\u201d it said. \u201cU.S. citizens are advised to follow instructions of local authorities for their personal safety and security.\u201dAmerican B52 and B-1 bombers loaded with munitions have repeatedly taken off from Fairford on missions to Iran since the war there began in February. The previous British prime minister, Keir Starmer, initially refused to allow the Trump administration to use the base for strikes at the start of the conflict, but later gave permission for what he called \u201cdefensive\u201d operations. His successor, Prime Minister Andy Burnham, has continued that policy, officials said.ImageA United States B\u20111 Lancer bomber on Sunday at R.A.F. Fairford, which hosts U.S. Air Force personnel.Credit...Justin Tallis\/Agence France-Presse \u2014 Getty ImagesRichard Ocone, the assistant chief constable for the Gloucestershire Police, the local force in the area containing the air base, said the incident had begun around 12:45 a.m., when his department received a call about three suspicious vehicles traveling toward the base.\u201cThe emergency services have well-rehearsed plans for dealing with major incidents such as this,\u201d he said, adding that \u201cwe are working closely with our partners in counterterrorism policing.\u201dEarlier, a police statement said that the authorities believed the incident was \u201ccontained.\u201dPrime Minister Burnham said in a statement Sunday afternoon that he understood the incident would be \u201cdeeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country.\u201d He thanked the police and the armed forces, and said, \u201cThe investigation remains ongoing, and I would urge people not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.\u201dThe United States Air Force referred questions about the incident at the base, which is home to both the 501st Combat Support Wing Headquarters and the 420th Air Base Squadron, to the British authorities.In a statement, it said: \u201cU.S. European Command remains vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our U.S. service members, civilians, contractors, and their families across the European theater. We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families.\u201dFairford has been an American base of operations for decades. The station opened in preparation for D-Day in 1944. With a runway more than 9,990 feet long, it is one of only a few European airfields that can be used by heavy U.S. bombers.In the past two years, there have been several so-called hybrid attacks \u2014 hostile actions devised to evade culpability \u2014 in Britain and Europe that intelligence officials say were probably carried out by Russia or people connected to it, or by proxies operating on behalf of Iran.In Britain, two men were convicted in June of conspiring to carry out arson attacks targeting properties and a car linked to Mr. Starmer after one of them was recruited by a Russian-language Telegram account. The fires at two houses and a vehicle, all of which Mr. Starmer had owned or used, happened over five days in May 2025.And in July, the British government accused a proxy of Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards of directing a wave of actions against Jews in Britain and Europe, including a series of arson attacks on synagogues.Adam Goldman contributed reporting from LondonShow more",
    "published_at": "2026-09-28T14:29:34+00:00",
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    "ai_headline": "Police to Release 5 Men on Bail After Possible Terror Plot at U.K. Air Base",
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