Explosives alert in the south-east of the United Kingdom. Five people were arrested on the morning of 27 September near the RAF (Royal Air Force) base in Faiford. The suspects are accused of violating the so-called Explosives act. The army is inspecting some vehicles, while several homes in the area have been evacuated. The alert was triggered after a “major incident” occurred, as reported by the military.
What we know
On the case, writes the BBCthe counter-terrorism department is investigating but the intelligence services are not involved in the investigation. The British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, is kept “constantly informed” on any developments “of the incident which occurred in Gloucestershire”. “We are grateful to the emergency services, who responded quickly to apprehend several suspects and took steps to ensure the safety of the community. It would be inappropriate to comment further while the investigation is ongoing,” a government spokesperson said.
In recent months, the UK has authorized the US to use the RAF base to carry out raids against Iranian missile bases targeting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. In July, the Pasdaran ordered London not to allow US bombers to take off from the base. “Our armed forces stand ready to protect the United Kingdom from any type of attack, both on our own soil and from abroad. The United Kingdom stands ready to defend itself 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” a government spokesperson then responded.