My 999 call foiled RAF Fairford plot, farmer tells BBC
My 999 call foiled RAF Fairford plot, farmer tells BBC
Matty Edwards - West of EnglandMon, September 28, 2026 at 8:42 AM UTC
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An image sent to the BBC appearing to show the moment five men were arrested
A farmer whose 999 call "foiled" a suspected terror plot has told the BBC the police and security services "dropped the ball" in their handling of the incident.
The member of the public told the Today programme she called police just after 01:30 BST on Sunday after seeing three vans and "a large group of hooded and masked men" near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
Five men were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act after Gloucestershire police said they had received a report of three "suspicious vehicles" travelling towards the base at about 00:45.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said he was "really grateful" to the resident from Whelford but said she had only "a partial picture".
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Streeting said the farmer did "exactly what we would hope that someone in that extraordinary situation would do".
"With respect, though, she does only have a partial picture," he said.
Gloucestershire Police has been approached for comment.
The local resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she was coming home from a party when she found the road and her driveway blocked by three white vans.
After turning around and driving a short distance, she saw "a large group of hooded and masked men".
"When they saw me then ran ahead of me, some into the field and some into the neighbouring village of Kempsford," she said.
"I then realised that something highly unusual was taking place," she said.
The farmer was aware that RAF Fairford was operating at a high security level so immediately called the Ministry of Defence police, but did not receive an answer.
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She then called 999 at 01:36, and said that within 10 minutes the village was full of armed police.
'My 999 call foiled whatever plans they had'
"I think it was pure luck that I arrived in the village at a similar time to the vans," she said.
"I'm absolutely staggered that it was left to me, as a member of the public, to see and report this.
"We assumed someone would be monitoring the roads around the base perimeter and taking regular patrols in the village, clearly this was not happening.
"I believe my 999 call foiled whatever plans they had," she said.
Aerial pictures showed a remote-controlled robot approaching stationary white vans in a wooded area
She added she was surprised the roads around the base were not being monitored and the village was not evacuated of residents until 06:00.
"I think they were hyper focused and vigilant about the the base itself and had absolutely no regard for our village," she said.
"The vans were within meters of houses and those people were left unaware.
"I'm just really keen to highlight that it appears someone really dropped the ball on this."
She also said it was "strange" that police said they had received reports of suspicious vehicles approaching the base nearly an hour before her call.
The five men who were arrested under the Explosives Act and on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act remain in custody.
The police cordon around the area remains in place and local residents are yet to return home.
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Farmer who called 999 saw 'large group of hooded and masked men' near RAF Fairford, she tells BBC
What we know about RAF Fairford counter-terror probe
Five arrested as counter-terror police investigate major incident near RAF Fairford
Source: “AOL Breaking”
