US President Donald Trump has said that American authorities collaborated closely with British security services to arrest five men near the RAF Fairford air base in western England.
"They were looking to do big damage to our ports," Trump told reporters after arriving in Illinois for a golf tournament on Sunday.
"The arrest in the UK was fantastic. We had them under investigation," he said, adding that the US had the suspects under surveillance for an extended period before their arrest.
British authorities declared a major incident in a village adjacent to the military installation, evacuating 85 households after police detained the five suspects under the Explosives Act.
“Several properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident. It follows the arrest of several men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act,” police said in a statement.
“The Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team are currently examining several vehicles.”
UK Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed the individuals were arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism.
The Royal Air Force installation, which hosts US Air Force operations, has supported missions against Iran since February amid the wider Middle East conflict.
The arrests follow heightened protection measures around the facility after Britain affirmed in July that its armed forces stood ready to defend against potential retaliation following warnings from Iran's Revolutionary Guard concerning American bombers operating from Fairford.
