5 men arrested near air base used by US in Iran war on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act

LONDON -- U.K. police said Sunday that five men arrested in the middle of the night near an air base used by the United States during its war against Iran are being held on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act that appeared to involve three trucks.London’s Metropolitan Police, which takes the lead on potential terrorism activities, said local police received a call at 12:45 a.m. related to the three suspicious vehicles that appeared to be traveling toward RAF Fairford, a U.K.-owned base that is operated by the U.S. under an agreement dating back to the Cold War.Fairford has been used by American bombers for strictly limited strikes against Iran under an agreement with former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who voiced opposition to the war after it was launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28. The five men were initially arrested on suspicion of committing offenses under the Explosives Act in the Whelford area, which backs onto RAF Fairford, which hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and the 420th Air Base Squadron. Aerial footage from Sky News appeared to show a bomb disposal robot roaming between three white trucks. The rear doors of tw...