Three Men Charged in Iranian-Backed Plot Against UK Air Base

Three men face terrorism charges in the United States over an alleged plot targeting the United Kingdom’s RAF Fairford air base, Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday.

Prosecutors said the suspects acted on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah in a campaign targeting sites in Europe and the US. The Department of Justice identified the defendants as Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani.

Al-Saadi is already imprisoned in New York following his arrest in May on separate charges involving attacks on Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe. Prosecutors have not disclosed the whereabouts of Mohajeri and al-Hassani.

The investigation centers on RAF Fairford in southwest England, a facility used by US forces to deploy B-1 bombers in its war against Iran. Local police were called to the site in September after a farmer reported seeing a group of men with white vans acting suspiciously.

The Fairford Surveillance Plot

A US charging document states that al-Hassani directed individuals to drive fuel-delivery-disguised vans carrying barrels of fuel to the Fairford base. Prosecutors allege the 35-year-old Iraqi national paid the group earlier to purchase metal objects that could function as shrapnel.

Al-Saadi coordinated the operation by passing coded messages through phone calls to his family members in Iraq. Court records show the 32-year-old dual Iranian-Iraqi citizen communicated instructions to al-Hassani and 48-year-old Iranian national Mohsen Mohajeri.

Following the September incident at Fairford, seven men were arrested and subsequently released on bail. Authorities later re-arrested two individuals, charging them under the National Security Act on suspicion of assisting Iran’s intelligence service.

Days after the incident, the US military withdrew its B-1 bombers from Fairford. Flight-tracking data also showed the removal of at least a dozen aircraft from a second British facility, RAF Mildenhall, following what the Wall Street Journal said was a threat from Iran.

Wider Terror Campaign Allegations

US authorities maintain that the Fairford plot forms part of a broader network of attacks directed from abroad. Manhattan US Attorney Jamie McDonald outlined the scope of the alleged operations during the announcement of the indictment.

“These defendants helped orchestrate a campaign of terror on behalf of terrorist organizations affiliated with Iran that targeted Jewish communities in Europe and the United States, and the British military base, RAF Fairford, housing American service members,” McDonald said.

Prior to the Fairford charges, prosecutors accused al-Saadi of directing others to attack US, Israeli and Jewish targets and to kill Americans. Those attacks included the nonfatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London in April and arson attacks on synagogues, Israeli businesses and Jewish schools elsewhere in Europe.

Al-Saadi pleaded not guilty in June, characterizing himself as a prisoner of war while being held without bail. Iran has strongly denied any involvement in the incident.

Police Investigate Suspicious Activity at RAF Fairford

When did police investigate the suspicious activity at RAF Fairford?

Police were called to the RAF Fairford site in September after a local farmer reported seeing a group of men with white vans. Seven individuals were arrested and released on bail before two were re-arrested and charged under the National Security Act.

What specific roles are the three charged men accused of playing?

Prosecutors state that Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi passed coded messages via phone calls to coordinate the plot. Mohammad Ali al-Hassani allegedly directed others to drive disguised vans carrying fuel barrels to the base, while Mohsen Mohajeri was part of the communications network used to coordinate the plot.

How has the Iranian government responded to the allegations?

Iran has strongly denied any involvement in the incident. There was no immediate comment from Iran on the charges.

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