Police have said that no improvised explosive devices were found in three vehicles examined after an incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, while five London men arrested in connection with the investigation remain on police bail.
The update is a significant clarification of the position after the major response that began in the early hours of Sunday, 27 September. Police were called at about 12.45am after reports of vehicles acting suspiciously close to the air base. Armed officers attended and five men were arrested in the Whelford area.
Police said the men were initially arrested on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and were later arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act under section 5 of the Terrorism Act. These are suspicions under investigation, not charges or findings of guilt. No allegation has been tested in court, and the latest police update does not say that a charging decision has been made.
What investigators have now confirmed
In its latest update on Tuesday, the national counter-terrorism team said the vehicles had undergone extensive examination with military and forensic support. It said no improvised explosive devices were found, although a quantity of petrol was recovered. The force did not set out further detail about the petrol or what, if any, conclusions it drew from that finding.
Investigators also said searches of properties in London had concluded. The statement did not identify the addresses, say whether anything was recovered there, or connect any particular person with those searches. Its stated position is that the investigation continues.
The five men were released on police bail on Monday after interviews and enquiries. Police said they remain under investigation and must comply with strict conditions. Bail is not the end of an inquiry, but neither is it a finding that an offence was committed. The terms of those conditions have not been made public.
Why the development has a London connection
The incident itself took place in Gloucestershire, rather than London. However, police had previously described all five people arrested as UK nationals in their twenties who live in London: three were said to be Westminster residents, with the others from Camden and Willesden. The later confirmation of searches at London properties adds a direct London dimension to an investigation being led nationally.
Those location details should not be treated as evidence of responsibility. Police have not named the men publicly, and the information released so far does not establish a motive. Earlier statements said investigators were pursuing multiple lines of enquiry and were keeping an open mind about the circumstances surrounding the activity near the base.
Local response being scaled back
The original precautionary response included a 400-metre cordon around the vehicles and the evacuation of about 85 households while specialist teams examined the scene. The latest update says investigative scenes around the base are being reduced and are expected to close completely on Wednesday, subject to the operational position.
Police say the decision to release the five men on bail was an investigative one taken after consideration of policing powers and public safety. That distinction is important in an active, high-sensitivity inquiry: the factual update is that no improvised explosive devices were found in the vehicles, that a quantity of petrol was recovered, and that the people arrested remain under investigation on bail. The investigation has not concluded, and further information may change the position.
