Mystery over UK airbase scare as police find petrol, not explosives
Por Agence France-Presse — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Britain World Europe Mystery over UK airbase scare as police find petrol, not explosives
A suspected bomb plot at a facility used by the US to launch strikes on Iran had led to the arrest – and eventual release – of five suspects
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Agence France-Presse Published: 2:21am, 30 Sep 2026
A UK probe into a suspected bomb plot at an airbase used by the US was mired in confusion Tuesday, as police said no explosives but a “quantity of petrol” was found in vehicles seized nearby.
Police were called to the Royal Air Force Fairford base in southwest England on Sunday after a resident saw several vans “acting suspiciously”, triggering an evacuation of the nearby village and the declaration of a “major incident”.
“Those vehicles have been subject to extensive examination … and we can confirm that no improvised explosive devices were found. However, a quantity of petrol was recovered,” National Counter Terrorism Policing head Laurence Taylor said.
There have been huge questions around the incident after five London-based Britons were released on bail on Monday after being arrested early on Sunday on explosives and terror offences, with Washington criticising their release.
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