A farmer who told the BBC her 999 call “foiled” a suspected terror plot said police and security services “dropped the ball” in their handling of the incident.
She said she called police just after 01:30 BST on Sunday after seeing three vans parked in a “weird formation” near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. There was “a large group of hooded and masked men” near the vans who started to “panic” when they saw her, she said.
Five men, all UK nationals from London in their early to mid 20s, were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act and have been released on police bail.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said he was grateful to the resident but that she had only “a partial picture”.
Streeting said of the farmer: “I do want to thank the member of the public who acted quickly and called this in.
“I would also just say, respectfully, that she has a partial picture and I won’t go beyond that, in terms of commenting on operational security matters.”
The local resident from Whelford, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she was coming home from a party when she found the road and her driveway blocked by three white vans.
She described the vans as having “strange signage” on them.
“I looked at it and thought ‘that is not real’,” she told BBC News.
“When they saw me, they then ran ahead of me, some into the field and some into the neighbouring village of Kempsford.
“I then realised that something highly unusual was taking place.”
