\n<\/p>\n
UK police were questioning five men on \u200bMonday on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences after their detention near an air base used by the US to strike \u200cIran.<\/strong><\/p>\n Officers seized the men in the early hours of Sunday after a tip-off that three large white vans were heading to the military airfield of RAF Fairford in west England.<\/p>\n US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been looking to do \u201cbig damage\u201d and had been under investigation by British and US authorities.<\/p>\n British counterterrorism detectives have not given the \u200bsuspects\u2019 identities. But a source familiar with the investigation said an Iranian-linked motive was considered the most likely, while a Russian sabotage operation or a terror plot were also being looked at as possibilities.<\/p>\n Police have released little information and there were questions about \u2060whether the suspects were under the level of surveillance that Trump suggested.<\/p>\n A local farmer, who has not been named, said she had alerted police \u200bafter seeing a group of \u201chooded and masked men\u201d running into the fields.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that my 999 (emergency) call foiled whatever plans they had,\u201d the farmer \u200btold BBC radio.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Britain in April raised its national terrorism threat level to \u201csevere\u201d \u200bfrom \u201csubstantial\u201d after a series of antisemitic incidents in north London, indicating a terrorist attack within the six months is considered highly likely.<\/p>\n Police said they were investigating \u200cIran links \u2060to many of the incidents in which properties connected to the Jewish community or Iranian dissidents were targeted.<\/p>\n In May, Britain sanctioned 12 individuals and entities linked to Iran, accusing them of involvement in hostile activity including plotting attacks and providing financial services to groups seeking to destabilise the UK and other countries. Responding to the Fairford arrests, the US Embassy issued a security \u200balert saying US citizens should \u201cexercise caution\u201d \u200band be \u201cmindful of personal security\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cUS-associated \u2060facilities, gatherings, and organizations may be at heightened risk,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n The British government had given authorisation to the US to use bombers based at Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the \u200bStrait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n The government has said Prime Minister Andy Burnham is being regularly updated on the incident \u200band he dropped out \u2060of attending several events at his Labour Party\u2019s annual conference on Sunday.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards had warned Britain in July not to allow US bombers to fly from Fairford, saying any base used to launch attacks would be a legitimate target.<\/p>\n In Fairford, police have imposed a 400-metre cordon around the base and evacuated residents \u2060from 85 \u200bhomes.<\/p>\n A bomb disposal robot could be seen on Sunday operating around the three white \u200bvans, while security was stepped up around the base. Armed police stood guard at the main entrance while large machinery was used to block other access points.<\/p>\n Security was also stepped \u200bup at other US bases in Britain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
TERRORISM THREAT SEVERE<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in attacks or plots in the UK and elsewhere.<\/p>\n