Wes Streeting says hero farmer who foiled ‘Iran bomb plot’ at RAF base ‘only has a partial picture’ of security operation – as she claims she saw ‘more than 5 men fleeing scene’
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has praised the farmer who discovered an alleged terror plot at RAF Fairford but stressed she has only a "partial picture" of the operation. Notably, a Ministry of Defence 24/7 hotline went unanswered when she called to report the suspicious activity, raising fresh security questions at the sensitive Gloucestershire base. The incident began when the farmer, returning from a night out in the early hours yesterday, found three white vans blocking a road near the facility—used by US bombers in strikes on Iran—and called police, resulting in five arrests on terror-related charges within 25 minutes.
The farmer claims she witnessed more than five men fleeing the scene, though only five were arrested. The suspects were wearing balaclavas and later filmed shirtless, with reports suggesting they may have been armed with explosive vests as part of a potential suicide mission targeting US B-1 Lancer bombers stationed at the base. Counter-terrorism police continue investigating whether the alleged plot was linked to Iran, whilst Donald Trump claimed the suspects had been under surveillance, though he declined to confirm whether they were migrants.
- Farmer foils alleged terror plot; Defence Secretary says she has "partial picture" only
- Farmer claims she saw more than five men fleeing; only five were arrested
- MoD hotline unanswered when she reported; Iran link being investigated
Full account
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has praised a farmer who alerted police to suspicious activity near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, while saying that her account gives only a partial picture of the security operation. Five men were arrested after she reported seeing three white vans on a road near the airbase in the early hours of Sunday. Counter-terrorism police are investigating what the men were doing there and whether there is any connection to Iran. Claims that an attack was imminent have not been established in the material provided.
The woman, who has not been named, said she was driving home from a party when the vans blocked her route. She described seeing men wearing face coverings run towards nearby trees and fields as she turned her car around. She believes her headlights may have startled them. She called 999, and officers subsequently arrested five men near the base. She also warned neighbours through a local messaging group, according to one report.
The farmer has questioned how the vehicles came to be so close to a base that had reportedly increased its security. She said she tried a Ministry of Defence number for reporting local security concerns but received no answer. She has also said she thought she saw more men fleeing than the five who were arrested. That recollection has not been independently confirmed in the supplied reports, and it is unclear whether police are looking for anyone else.
Asked about her concerns, Streeting thanked her for acting promptly and said she had done the right thing. He added that she had only a partial view of what was happening, but declined to explain further. He also would not address the reported unanswered call to the Ministry of Defence number, citing the continuing investigation. His comments leave unresolved the question of what, if anything, the authorities knew before the farmer contacted police.
RAF Fairford has been used by American aircraft involved in strikes against Iran, making any suspected threat near the base a matter of particular concern. The reports say police treated the vans as a potential explosives hazard, brought in specialist personnel to examine them and evacuated nearby households. Some accounts describe the vehicles as containing explosives or suggest that the men wore explosive vests. Those more specific claims are allegations in the supplied reporting; no official finding confirming them is provided.
US President Donald Trump said the suspects had been under investigation and praised cooperation with Britain. One report, however, cites unnamed Whitehall sources saying the arrests had not been planned in advance and followed the farmer’s call. These accounts may concern different parts of the investigation, but the material provided does not resolve the apparent tension between them. Trump did not directly answer a reporter’s question about whether the suspects were migrants.
Where outlets differ
The reports place different weight on the farmer’s role: the first focuses on Streeting’s response to her criticism, while the second and third centre her account of the encounter and the arrests.
The third report cites unnamed Whitehall sources who say the arrests were not planned in advance, whereas the second and third quote Trump saying the suspects had been watched for some time.
The third and fourth reports state that the vans contained explosives; the other accounts use more tentative language about the suspected threat. The supplied material does not include an official confirmation of the vehicles’ contents.
The fourth report concentrates on the van’s branding and phone number and includes the fuel company’s denial of any involvement. Those details receive little or no attention in the other reports.
The accounts vary in timing and distance: one says arrests followed the 999 call within 25 minutes, another says police arrived within 15 minutes, and two place the vans about 350 yards from the base.
More coverage
- Daily Mail — Hero farmer who foiled RAF 'terror bomb' says security forces should be red-faced that a 'plucky amateur' saved the day – and claims: 'The worst thing is that we saw MORE than five suspects…'
- Daily Mail — 'Iran bomb plot' at RAF base foiled by farmer's 999 call: Five arrested in early hours after three vans spotted near air base used by US bombers
- Daily Mail — The subtle clues that suggest Iran is behind 'bomb plot' on RAF base
- The Independent — Streeting says farmer who ‘foiled bomb plot’ at RAF Fairford only has ‘partial picture’