Counter-terror police have confirmed that a quantity of petrol, but no explosive devices, was discovered during searches of three vans near RAF Fairford in the west of England. The vehicles were spotted in the early hours of Sunday, leading to a major security incident around the US military-operated base.
Five men, all UK nationals in their 20s, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and later terrorism offences. They were subsequently released on bail the following day.
Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, stated that the decision to release the men on bail was an "investigative decision" that was "grounded in experience and strategy". He added that the police response on Sunday morning was prompted by "a range of information", including a public call about "several vehicles acting suspiciously" near the base.
Mr Taylor expressed hope that the "investigative scenes" would be closed by Wednesday.