Greece

Athens, September 28, 2026. Five men were arrested on Sunday, September 27, in southwest England, near the RAF airbase in Fairford, Gloucestershire, suspected of preparing a "terrorist action" and explosives-related offenses, reports To Vima. The alert began early in the morning, when police were informed of three suspicious vehicles heading towards the base, used by the US military aviation. Armed police made the arrests; the British Antiterrorist unit has taken over the investigation.

The response was proportionate to the perceived threat: a 400-meter security perimeter was established, around 85 houses temporarily evacuated, and an army bomb disposal unit examined the vehicles one by one, according to Naftemporiki and To Vima. "We are at the early stages of the investigation and five men remain in detention," said Vicky Evans, national coordinator of the Antiterrorist unit. The deputy commissioner of Gloucestershire specified that "the perimeter was established as a precaution" and that the presence of emergency services would continue.

The Greek press immediately linked the episode to the war against Iran: Naftemporiki reported on the connection between the arrests and the conflict with Tehran, recalling that London had authorized Washington to use Fairford against Iranian missile installations threatening navigation in the Strait of Ormuz, and that the Revolutionary Guards had warned as early as July that any base used by US bombers would become a legitimate target. According to Protothema, the base houses B-1B Lancer bombers and played a role in recent US operations.

Donald Trump, who arrived in Chicago for a golf tournament, stated that the suspects wanted to "cause significant damage" to the base and that they had been monitored "for a long time" by Washington, praising cooperation "that worked very well" with the British. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, on the other hand, called on citizens "not to speculate" as long as the investigation continues.

Naftemporiki emphasizes that the arrests would not have taken place as part of a planned operation but based on specific intelligence, a sign that the services had not anticipated a specific attack project. No sponsor has been designated at this stage.