Brief

Police find petrol, no bombs in vans near RAF Fairford

A quantity of petrol was recovered, but no homemade bombs were found in the vans that triggered a major incident near the U.S. air base on Sunday.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:12:04 GMT

Police discovered a quantity of petrol but no explosive devices in three vans that sparked a major security alert near RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, on Sunday. The incident prompted the evacuation of 85 households and the deployment of a hazardous area response team.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor confirmed on Tuesday that the vans had been extensively examined with military and forensic support and that no improvised explosive devices were found. He added that a quantity of petrol had been recovered as part of the investigation.

Five men arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and later terrorism were released on bail on Monday. Taylor said the decision to release them was an investigative one and that they remain under investigation and must adhere to strict conditions.

Police cordons around the base are expected to be lifted on Wednesday, and searches of the suspects’ London homes have been completed. The incident has raised speculation about foreign involvement, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggesting a foreign actor may be behind the plot, though no official link has been confirmed.

Key facts

Three vans were examined near RAF Fairford (independent.co.uk)
No improvised explosive devices were found (independent.co.uk)
A quantity of petrol was recovered (independent.co.uk)
Five men were arrested and later released on bail (independent.co.uk)
Evacuation of 85 households took place (independent.co.uk)
Police cordons to be lifted on Wednesday (standard.co.uk)

Background

The incident follows the earlier arrest of five men on 27 September 2026 after suspicious vans were spotted heading toward the U.S. air base, leading to a major incident declaration and the evacuation of 85 households.

Timeline

2026-09-27 — Five men arrested near RAF Fairford after suspicious vans found
2026-09-27 — Three suspicious vans found heading toward RAF Fairford
2026-09-27 — Evacuation of 85 households in Whelford

Why it matters

The incident highlights heightened security concerns around U.S. military operations in the UK and the potential for foreign state involvement in terror plots.