Two Men Charged Over RAF Fairford Plot

Two men from London face national security charges in connection with a suspected plot at RAF Fairford, a U.S.-run airbase in western England. The Crown Prosecution Service announced the charges on Tuesday, linking the incident to intelligence operations by Iran.

Mohmed Abdulkarim, a British-Iranian dual national, is accused of assisting Iran's intelligence service. Nouman Essghir, a British citizen, is charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom. Both defendants are 24 years old and were scheduled to appear in court later that day. The charges were filed under the National Security Act.

The investigation began on Sept. 27, when Essghir was arrested outside the base. Armed police and army bomb-disposal teams searched the rural area, and scores of residents were evacuated from their homes. Police reported finding a quantity of gasoline, an accelerant, in vans at the scene, but they did not find any explosives. Essghir was initially released on bail but was re-arrested last week. Abdulkarim was arrested within the past week. Six other men have been arrested and released on bail as the inquiry continues.

British authorities state that the plot was almost certainly directed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham made that assessment after the incident. The U.S. removed several B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford several days after the arrest. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly stated that they suspected Iranian involvement at some level.

Iran has denied involvement in the specific plot, though Tehran has previously declared that any base used to attack its territory is a legitimate target. Ken McCallum, the head of the U.K.'s domestic security service, said Tehran is seeking to intensify attacks in Britain beyond its traditional targets. He noted that more than 50 people have been arrested over Iran-linked plots in the past year.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who leads National Counter Terrorism Policing, said authorities are working together to identify and respond to the threat. He described a range of incidents in recent months that officials believe were directed by the Iranian state. The U.S. continues to use RAF Fairford as part of its military operations in the region.