Shots fired during ‘disturbance’ at RAF base

A DISTURBANCE at an RAF base near Suffolk where shots were fired by US service personnel is not being treated as terrorism.

A 44-year-old British man was initially arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass yesterday at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk Police said.

The man, who suffered cuts and bruises in the incident, has been taken into custody and police are not looking for anyone else on the site in relation to the alleged offence.

The base, used by the US Air Force, was put on lockdown at about 1.40pm yesterday amid reports of a car being rammed into a checkpoint.

Suffolk Police said inquiries were ongoing and officers were receiving support from other law enforcement agencies.

In a statement, the force said: “There is no wider threat to the public or occupants on the base and no other people have been injured as a result of the incident.”

In November last year the then-Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said RAF Mildenhall was one of 56 Ministry of Defence sites earmarked for closure.

The base, due to shut in 2022, is home to the US Air Force’s 100th Air Refuelling Wing and 352nd Special Operations Wing.

It is believed to be home to about 3,000 military personnel and their families, and has previously been identified as a potential target for terrorists.

In May 2016, Junead Khan was given a life sentence at Kingston Crown Court for planning a strike against American military personnel in Britain. Khan, of Luton, used his job as a delivery driver to scout bases including Mildenhall and nearby RAF Lakenheath the previous year.