British prosecutors charged two London men over a September scare at RAF Fairford, the U.S.-used bomber base in England, because police believe one of them was helping Iran’s intelligence service.
Story Snapshot
- Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim, 24, is charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service, which police believe is Iran’s.
- Nouman Essghir, 24, is charged with entering a “prohibited place” for a purpose that harms the United Kingdom.
- Both men are British and live in the Westminster area of London.
- The case began in the early hours of September 27, when three suspicious vans were seen near the base.
- Iran denies any role in the incident.
- After the September incident, the U.S. moved its B-1 bombers out of Fairford. President Trump said, “They didn’t fly out by accident. There were some threats.”
Prosecutors Link Case To Suspected Iranian Intelligence
The Crown Prosecution Service, Britain’s public prosecutor, announced the charges on Tuesday, October 27, and both men were due in Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London that day. Abdulkarim is accused of conduct “likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service.” Police say they believe that service works for Iran, and Iran’s ambassador to Britain has denied that Iran was involved.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the head of Britain’s counterterrorism police, said investigators are “confident that this activity was conducted on behalf of a foreign intelligence service.” He added, “We have seen a range of incidents in recent months that we believe have been directed by the Iranian state.” Both men are accused, not convicted, and the case will move through the courts.
Second Charge Involves A Prohibited Place Offense
Essghir’s charge falls under Section 4 of the National Security Act 2023. A “prohibited place” under that law is a protected site, such as a military base. Prosecutors say he entered or approached one on Saturday, August 22, about a month before the September incident, for a purpose harmful to the United Kingdom.
Police first arrested Essghir at the scene near RAF Fairford on Sunday, September 27, and arrested him again on October 20. Abdulkarim was arrested in the days before the charges. Six other men, all in their 20s and living in London, remain on bail while the investigation goes on. Frank Ferguson, a senior prosecutor, said, “We will continue to work closely with our partners as this complex investigation continues.” More charges could follow.
Why RAF Fairford Matters For U.S. And U.K. Security
RAF Fairford sits in Gloucestershire, in the west of England. It is a British air base run for U.S. forces, and it has hosted American long-range bombers, including the B-1. Officials say the base was used to launch U.S. strikes on Iran earlier this year. Iranian officials have said in the past that bases used to attack Iran are fair targets.
After the September incident, the U.S. moved its B-1 bombers out of Fairford. President Trump said of the move, “They didn’t fly out by accident. There were some threats.” Britain’s prime minister, Andy Burnham, has said the plot was “almost certainly” directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the branch of Iran’s military that answers to its supreme leader.
What Police Found At The Scene
The alarm went up when local residents reported suspicious vehicles heading toward the base before dawn. Armed police and army bomb-disposal teams moved in, and nearby residents were evacuated while officers searched the area. Police found a quantity of gasoline in the three vans, parked near the village of Whelford, but no explosives.
The charges are national security offenses, not terrorism charges. Police have not released the exact acts Abdulkarim is accused of carrying out for Iran, and prosecutors have not said how the August visit ties to the September night.
Why This Should Matter To U.S. Readers
Bases like RAF Fairford let the United States reach far beyond its own shores and protect Americans when danger rises. When a hostile government is suspected of probing one of those bases, it is a threat to American service members and to the missions they fly. That is why the U.S. pulled its bombers out of Fairford after the incident.
The head of MI5, Britain’s domestic spy agency, has warned that Iran and Russia are stepping up attacks against the United Kingdom, and he said the Fairford incident was not a one-off. Britain banned support for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in July. This case shows British police and prosecutors using the country’s 2023 spy law against a suspected foreign plot at a base that matters to America’s defense.
Sources:
redstate.com, cbsnews.com, abc.net.au, mcac.maryland.gov
