An alleged bomb plot near an RAF base was disrupted after one of the suspects reportedly called police himself, according to new details.
The man was among five suspects arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire during the early hours of Sunday.
Following the 999 call, armed officers raced to the area and detained the group. The men were stripped during the operation amid concerns they could be wearing suicide vests.
Police said on Tuesday that no improvised explosive devices had been discovered in the three vans linked to the suspected terror investigation.
Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said officers had recovered a quantity of petrol from the vehicles.
A farmer who encountered the suspicious vans near the base said she had seen “eight to ten masked men” moving through woodland and across fields. It is now believed the figures she spotted in the darkness were armed police officers.
Investigators are examining why one of the suspects contacted 999. They are considering whether he was attempting to withdraw from the alleged plan or whether the call formed part of a wider strategy.
One inquiry is focused on whether the incident, which has been linked to Iran, was not an intended attack but instead a stunt or “calling card” designed to send a warning to British and US authorities.
Counter-terrorism officers continue to investigate after petrol was found inside vans discovered close to RAF Fairford.
The five men arrested near RAF Fairford were pictured in police custody. All are London residents, British nationals and aged in their 20s; police said they have since been released on bail.
Residents from 85 homes in the nearby village of Whelford were permitted to return on Monday after items initially described as explosives were deemed not viable.
The five London men, aged between 23 and 25, were arrested on suspicion of explosive and terrorism offences near the airbase. RAF Fairford is used by the US Air Force to carry out strikes against Iran.
All five were released on bail within 36 hours, while Tehran has “categorically” denied any involvement in the incident.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that the suspected plot “clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor”.
Although he did not directly accuse Iran, Mr Rubio pointed to the regime’s “openly threatened” attacks against US interests around the world.
Assistant Commissioner Taylor said: “We can confirm that no improvised explosive devices were found. However, a quantity of petrol was recovered. Yesterday, we released the five men on police bail.
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“They remain under investigation and must comply with strict conditions as our inquiries continue.
“I understand why this development will have surprised many people, but I want to reiterate that the decision was investigative, based on experience and careful consideration of our policing powers.”
Police guard the area as roadblocks remain near RAF Fairford after a major incident was declared at the airbase.
Searches of the five men’s London addresses have now been completed, and police cordons near the base are expected to be removed today.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump suggested the men were already known to the authorities and said he was ‘surprised’ they had been released.
And in an interview with Fox News, Mr Rubio said: ‘What could have happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation.
‘It’s one that clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor. I won’t get into great detail about that yet.’
He added: ‘I know a lot of people are disturbed by the news that some of these people have been released on bail, as some of the people are being investigated and obviously we’re engaging with them [UK authorities] on all of that.
‘I think it ties us to the reality here, and that is, we are dealing with elements in the world and, in the case of Iran, for example, who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally.
‘We’re going to always take that very seriously.
‘There’ll be repercussions for that if it ever were to happen or even attempted.’
Iran said it ‘categorically rejects’ any involvement in the suspected plot, with its embassy criticising the ‘circulation of… fabricated speculations’.
The state of alert at US airbases at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, both in Suffolk, was increased to ‘Charlie’ – the second-highest level – in response to the incident.
It followed residents near RAF Fairford saying that armed officers at the base had been ordering people to stay home as early as Saturday afternoon because an ‘attack was imminent’.
But checks by this newspaper found little evidence of heightened security at the East Anglian bases.
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