British police questioning 5 London

British release 5 London-based men after arrests near airbase used by U.S.

Iranian embassy in U.K. rejects any link from the incident to Tehran

U.K. police arrest 5 near airbase on suspicion of terrorist plot

British police said on Monday ‌they had released on bail five ​men who were ​arrested on suspicion of terrorism and explosives ​offences near ⁠a British airbase ⁠used ‌by the U.S., although they remain under investigation.

Officers arrested the men in the early hours of Sunday after a tipoff that three large white vans were heading to the military airfield in west England.

Officials earlier said the five men were all British nationals from various London boroughs, between the ages of 23 and 25. At the Labour Party's conference in Liverpool on Monday some time later, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described them as British citizens.

"We are considering this from every possible angle, including that this may be activity committed by proxies, or individuals either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state," Laurence Taylor, head of the U.K.'s Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) said in a prepared statement he read to reporters.

"However, I ask that at this time, CTP are given the space to work carefully and clearly.”

The Iranian Embassy in London said in a statement that it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations" surrounding the arrests.

U.K. Prime ⁠Minister Andy Burnham was set to chair an ​emergency ⁠response meeting on Monday due to the incident.

A local farmer, who has not been named, said she ⁠had alerted police after seeing a ⁠group of "hooded and masked men" running into the fields.

"I believe that my ‌999 call foiled whatever plans they had," the farmer told BBC Radio, referring to the British equivalent to 911.

Defence Minister Wes Streeting told the BBC that the farmer had only a "partial picture" and said he would not speculate about motives of a live investigation.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the suspects had been looking to do "big damage" and had been under investigation by British and American authorities. But it's unknown whether the suspects ​were under the level of surveillance that Trump suggested.

Nearby residents can soon return

In Fairford, police have imposed a 400-metre cordon around the base and evacuated residents from 85 homes.

A bomb disposal robot could be seen on Sunday operating around the three white vans, while security was stepped up around the base. Armed police stood guard at the main entrance while large machinery was used to block other access points.

Mahmood said "the scene is now safe," and that the affected residents who had to leave their homes in the nearby village of Whelford will soon be able to return.

Security was stepped up at other ⁠U.S. bases in Britain.

Responding to the Fairford arrests, the U.S. Embassy issued a security alert, saying U.S. citizens should "exercise caution" and be "mindful of ⁠personal security."

U.S.-associated facilities, gatherings and organizations may be at heightened risk," the statement said.

In April, Britain had raised its national terrorism threat level to "severe" from "substantial" after a series of antisemitic incidents in north London, indicating a terrorist attack within the ‌six months is considered highly likely.

In May, Britain sanctioned 12 individuals and entities linked to Iran, accusing them of involvement in hostile activity, including plotting attacks and providing financial services to groups seeking to destabilize the U.K. and other countries.

The British government had given authorization to the U.S. ⁠to use bombers based at Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards had warned Britain in July not to ​allow U.S. bombers to fly from ⁠Fairford, saying any base used to launch attacks would be a legitimate target.

"We know that Iran and their proxies wish to do us harm. We know that ⁠they hate our democracy, and we know that we regularly have to thwart Iranian attempts to threaten either our interests or indeed our allies," Streeting told BBC.

Iran ​has repeatedly denied involvement in attacks or plots in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.