Donald Trump heaps praise on 'amazing' UK police response as RAF Fairford suspects were 'looking to do big damage'

You are about to be charged £0.00* *Your gift has been applied Thank you for subscribing! Donald Trump heaps praise on 'amazing' UK police response as RAF Fairford suspects were 'looking to do big damage' Five men were arrested over the suspected bomb plot The fearless champion of Britain, its voices and its values. Join the fight for free speech and fearless journalism. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Community Rules. Don't Miss Most Read President Trump has claimed the men arrested in relation to a major incident at RAF Fairford today were "looking to do big damage". The US President waded in after five men were arrested over a suspected bomb plot near the base used in US attacks against Iran. Mr Trump praised the response by UK authorities, which has been led by counter-terror officers, saying they have done an "amazing" job. Speaking to reporters, the US President claimed the suspects were “looking to do big damage. “We had them under view for a long time”, he added, before praising British police, saying their response to the incident was “amazing”. The arrests followed a 999 call at around 12.45am on Sunday reporting three suspicious vehicles travelling towards RAF Fairford. Armed officers responded and arrested five men in the nearby village of Whelford. The men were initially arrested on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act before also being detained on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act. All five remain in custody and counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation. A resident of Whelford said she called police after she saw three vans “blocking the road”, before spotting a “large group of hooded and ‘balaclava’d’ men”. The resident, who asked not to be identified, said she was driving home in the early hours of Sunday morning when she saw 10 people in the road. The resident said the RAF Fairford base was known by residents to be on lockdown due to a “terror threat”. She called 999 after discovering the men and said police arrived on the scene around 15 minutes later. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS “They would have seen the bright headlights,” she said. “They probably thought we were the police (and) panicked.” She added: “It would appear that by doing so I just derailed whatever they were planning. “A plucky amateur shouldn’t be spotting an unusual bit of activity at 1am when the air base is on high alert. “I think it’s absolutely astonishing.” About 85 households have been evacuated from their homes near RAF Fairford, which is used by the United States Air Force (USAF). A major incident was declared by police and a large emergency services presence was seen in the area, including a Hazardous Area Response Team within a 400-metre cordon. Aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot inspecting three white vans, two of which had open rear doors. Large black barrels appeared to be scattered around.