Farzin Nadimi, a senior researcher in defense and security affairs at the Washington Institute, referring to the suspicious incident near RAF Fairford airbase, said it is not yet clear what the detained individuals exactly intended to do, and that the outcome of the investigations should clarify the matter.

He added that the likelihood that the people had intended to carry out a terrorist operation that night is low, and the more likely scenario is that they were training for an action in which more people would be involved and in which explosives would also be used.