Five people are in custody in connection with an alleged plot to attack a British military base that houses many U.S. military personnel.
The New York Times reported that the apparent plot targeted RAF Fairford. The air base is in the Cotswolds region.
Five men were arrested Sunday on suspicion of terrorism. All are British nationals from London and in their early 20s.
The Washington Post reported that they can be held for up to 14 days.
Their identities have not been released as the British government does not release identities until a person is charged.
A farmer said she called police after she noticed “a large group of hooded and masked men” lingering near a tree line at the base, the BBC reported.
“When they saw me they ran ahead of me - some into the field and some towards the neighboring village,” the woman said. “I then realized that something highly unusual was taking place.”
She said police swarmed the area within 10 minutes of her call.
“I think it was pure luck that I arrived in the village at a similar time to the vans,” the woman told the BBC.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham cautioned people against speculating about who is behind the alleged plot, saying the investigation is ongoing and urging them to allow police to “establish the full facts,” the Times reported.
The base has been used by American bombers during decades of conflict in the Middle East, The Associated Press reported.
Officials are investigating possible links to Iran, Russia or nonstate-backed militants. Anti-war protests also have been staged near the base.
Iran denied involvement, saying it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculation,” The Washington Post reported.
After the arrests, the British Army bomb squad used robots to search the three vans allegedly driven by the men while the authorities evacuated 85 homes near the vans. Residents had not returned home as of Monday morning, and the vehicles remained at the scene, the Post said.
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