A farmer who called 999 when she saw "a large group of hooded and masked men" near RAF Fairford early on Sunday morning believes she "foiled" their plans
She tells the Today programme she was coming home late from a party when a road was blocked by "three white vans". She then saw the group of men run off
She says she called 999 at 01:36 BST: "I think it was pure luck that I arrived in the village at a similar time to the vans"
But Defence Secretary Wes Streeting says she only has a "partial picture". He also refuses to speculate on possible Iranian links to the suspects
Gloucestershire Police say they were alerted at about 00:45 BST on Sunday. Five men remain in custody - they were arrested under the Explosives Act and on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act
RAF Fairford, in the Cotswolds, is used by the US military. President Trump says the US had the five men "under view for a long time, and we got them"
There is clear inconsistency between Trump's comments and the farmer's detailed account, says our security correspondent Frank Gardner
Image source, Getty ImagesAs our colleagues at the scene have been reporting, RAF Fairford has been unusually quiet this morning.
Only one plane has flown out and armed police officers continue to man a cordon surrounding the site.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
Image source, AFP via Getty Images
Image source, AFP via Getty Images
Image source, ReutersIn response to the incident near RAF Fairford, the US Embassy has posted an alert to US citizens in the UK.
The notice urges them to "exercise caution and be mindful of personal security", warning them that US-associated events, organisations and facilities "may be at heightened risk".
People are being encouraged to be aware of their surroundings and monitor local media for updates.
By Charlotte Green and Benedict Garman
BBC Verify has been looking into the branding of the three white vans parked near RAF Fairford which are still being investigated by bomb disposal teams.
A verified image shows a red logo on one of the vans reading "Fuel 2You", with a mobile phone number also visible.
When contacted by the BBC, the number went straight to an automated Lycamobile voice message system.
We’ve found no evidence that "Fuel 2You" is a legitimate company operating in the UK or a real brand name.
However, BBC Verify contacted Fuel2U, a company with a similar name which delivers diesel across the UK. A spokesperson told us the vans are "nothing to do" with the company.
“From our perspective, it's a very unfortunate coincidence," they said. “It's spelled differently. The phone number is different. The branding is different entirely, so it's not a historic version of our brand."
They added that “all of our vans are present and accounted for" and "even if it was one of our vans that was stolen, it would have our logo on it. That is not our logo".
The company also confirmed it was a newly-launched business and had never used the name "Fuel 2You" in any previous form. Its branding is also accented green, rather than red.
Earlier we brought you analysis from our security correspondent Frank Gardner, who said there was a "clear inconsistency" between the eyewitness account of the incident at RAF Fairford and remarks by Donald Trump.
Speaking after the suspects were arrested on Sunday, the US president told reporters: "We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort and working with the British worked out great.
"We had them under view for a long time, and we got them," he added.
However, a local farmer believes she helped foil the alleged plot - she called 999 at 01:36 BST after seeing suspicious activity close to the military base, including the presence of three white vans.
The farmer told the BBC that she was "absolutely staggered" that it was left to a member of the public to report the incident to police.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said this morning that the farmer only had a "partial picture" of what's been happening.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, ReutersA cordon remains in place around the site
As we've been reporting, an investigation into yesterday's incident is under way. Here's a quick look at what we know about the situation - and what is still unclear.
What we know:
What we don't know:
This is not the time for me to speculate - Streeting
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has been speaking to the BBC this morning, in the wake of the incident near RAF Fairford. Here's what he said:
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting was asked during an appearance on BBC Breakfast earlier if the government underestimated the risk of allowing the US to use its military bases amid the war with Iran.
He says he's "not drawing a connection with Iran" and repeats that investigations are ongoing.
"We know that Iran and their proxies wish to do us harm. We know that they hate our democracy," he continues.
Asked if the police are stepping up their presence around RAF Fairford in order to reassure locals, Streeting says he can't comment, but adds that robust measures are in place.
Bea Swallow
Live page reporter
Residents say multiple flights usually take off from RAF Fairford every morning "like clockwork", but the airbase is eerily quiet today.
Aside from a B-1 Lancer that reportedly took off at about 05:30 BST, there has been no activity.
Image source, ReutersBBC reporter at the scene, Edward Rowe, tells us: "There’s not been a huge amount of activity at the base this morning but you can easily see lots of planes from the road.
"Whether Sunday's incident has meant the base isn’t operating to its full capacity, we don’t know. But one person I’ve spoken to who lives on the flight path says he’s heard fewer planes in the last 24 hours."
Bea Swallow
Live page reporter
Residents evacuated from their homes in the middle of the night were taken to Cirencester Leisure Centre on Sunday, which was set up as an emergency rest centre roughly 10 miles (16km) from RAF Fairford.
Those who could not stay with friends or family had overnight accommodation arranged for them by Cotswold District Council.
At least 85 homes were affected by the sudden evacuation. Police were spotted delivering a dog to its relieved owner, after it had been left behind amidst the chaos.
Gloucestershire Constabulary said it was working to get people back into their homes "as soon as possible", but the 400m cordon still remains in place this morning, with no indication of when it will be lifted.
Jonathan Beale
Defence correspondent
The US operates from more than a dozen military bases in the UK.
The US Air Force's main bases in the UK are: RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk - home to the 48th Fighter Wing operating F-15 and F-35 jets; RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk - mainly a base for US air refuelling tankers; RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire - a large airbase which periodically hosts US Air Force long range bombers including B-52s, B1 and B2s.
RAF Fairford has recently been used by the US Air Force to carry out strikes on Iran, following a decision by the UK government in March to allow the Trump administration to conduct so-called “defensive operations” against Iranian military targets.
It’s been reported the threat alert at RAF Fairford has recently been raised to Delta - the highest level, meaning there’s intelligence relating to an imminent potential attack.
The threat level at RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall is believed to have been raised to Charlie - the second highest level when intelligence suggests there could be a potential attack.
Image source, BBC Radio 4 Today programmeDuring his interview on the Today programme, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting renews his thanks to the farmer who rang the police, and talks about the status of the investigation currently under way.
"At this stage in the investigation, I'm not in a position to comment on the identities of these individuals, or their aims and motivations," he says.
Further information will be provided to the public as the investigation unfolds, about the individuals and their backgrounds, he adds.
The defence secretary says the police should be given space and time to investigate, and refuses to speculate about Iranian involvement.
"We know that it is a matter of public record, that the Iranian regime is one that would do harm to our interests and to our allies given the chance, and I'm proud of the work that we do, all year and every year, to detect and to deter and prevent Iran from carrying out acts of harm."
Nick Johnson
Reporting from the scene
I’m at the edge of the police cordon leading down to the village of Whelford, where those three vans were spotted and more than 80 homes evacuated.
There is no timetable for the cordon to be lifted, which is frustrating commuters, delivery drivers and school buses.
I was here in March when the American B-1 and B-52 bomber planes first arrived, having hit targets in Iran.
I was struck by how close members of the public could get to the perimeter fence. With the base being so vast and located in a rural area, it felt very accessible at the time.
Now, almost every road which gets within a few hundred metres of the base is blocked by police.
Behind the police cordon, a bomb disposal team was deployed on Sunday to examine a number of vehicles, police said.
Pictures from a news helicopter showed a remote-controlled robot being used to inspect the stationary white vans near Whelford.
Gloucestershire Constabulary's Temporary Chief Constable Maggie Blyth said on Sunday night that the disposal unit was still examining the three vehicles and BBC reporters at the scene have been told the vans remain in place this morning.
Matty Edwards
Live page reporter
Responding to claims that the authorities "dropped the ball" by allowing the suspects to get so close to residents' homes, former British diplomat Lord Peter Ricketts says vigilance from the public is "crucial".
"I think we should wait to see the evidence and whether in fact the intelligence community was aware of this plot - something President Trump said last night suggested they may have been," Ricketts tells the BBC.
"But whether or not they were, vigilance from members of the public is crucial because the police and security services can't be everywhere all the time," he adds.
"We have to think in terms of a whole-society approach to this new world where a number of states regard us as the enemy."
Frank Gardner
Security correspondent
Image source, ReutersThere is a clear inconsistency here between the detailed and convincing account given by the local farmer who sounded the alarm when she saw the masked and hooded men near the vans and the claim by Donald Trump that "we have had these men under view for a long time".
If the US president’s words are correct then somebody was asleep at the wheel in allowing these men to get so close to the base as to trigger what’s being called a major incident.
But Whitehall officials have been clear that this was not an "intelligence-led operation".
In those instances Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) work closely with investigations officers from MI5 to track suspects and aim to arrest them in what is often a frighteningly short window between gathering enough incriminating evidence to convict them in court but not waiting so long that the public is put in danger.
Nothing about this case looks like that.
Wes Streeting is speaking next to the Today programme on BBC Radio 4.
You can listen to his interview live at 0810 BST by listening here.
Streeting concludes his appearance on BBC Breakfast by saying we have to maintain our advances, maintain our capabilities, and protect our country.
"We have to defend our country, and that is a price we have to pay for the freedom and liberty that we enjoy, and I will continue to make that case as defence secretary," he says.
"Increasing investment in defence does come with choices and trade-offs, and I would argue very strongly that in the dangerous and turbulent world we find ourselves in, investment in defence is a price worth paying.
"As we invest in defence, we will do so in a way that builds industry, jobs and opportunities in this country."
Streeting's attention is drawn to Donald Trump being asked if there was any link between the arrested men and Iran, and the US president saying information will be shared "very soon".
"How soon?" Streeting is asked.
He says it will depend on the police operation, and that this is not the time for him to speculate.
"As soon as we can keep the public informed, we will. I would just ask people for a bit of forbearance to give the police and security services the time and space to do their job," he adds.
"We'll report back with further information as soon as we can."
Streeting is asked about the local farmer who says she called the Ministry of Defence's police after spotting the five men, but didn't get a response.
The defence secretary reiterates that he can't comment as a police investigation is under way.
Streeting is asked if, given that the investigation is live, Donald Trump should have commented on the incident.
Streeting doesn't answer this question directly, instead saying he is "really proud" of the UK's defence partnership with the US.
He adds he is also "proud of the fact" the UK's professionalism was recognised by President Trump.
Streeting says he is fairly limited in what he can say.
He says the local farmer who rang the police after spotting a group of "hooded and masked men" near RAF Fairford had a "partial picture" of what's been happening.
"I won't go beyond that, in terms of commenting on operational security matters," he adds.
The more we show about our operations and how they're conducted, is valuable insight to those who would do us harm, he tells BBC Breakfast.
He says he understands it's frustrating for the public that he can't share more - but it is "a small price to pay" to protect the integrity of the police and security services.
