Two men from London have been charged with national security offences following a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, a military air base in western England operated by the United States. According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the two individuals, both 24, were charged on Tuesday under the National Security Act. The development marks a significant turn in an investigation into alleged foreign-state interference on British soil.
Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim faces a charge related to assisting Iran’s intelligence service, while Nouman Essghir has been accused of entering a prohibited site for purposes prejudicial to the United Kingdom. The charges follow a major security operation that occurred on September 27, when Essghir was arrested outside the perimeter of the air base. The incident prompted a large-scale response involving armed police and army bomb-disposal experts, leading to the temporary evacuation of residents from nearby homes as authorities conducted a search for potential explosives.
While investigators did not discover explosive devices at the scene, police stated that they found gasoline—an accelerant—inside vans located in the vicinity of the base. Following his initial arrest, Essghir was released on bail before being taken back into custody last week. Abdulkarim was also arrested during the same period. Authorities noted that six other men have been apprehended in connection with the inquiry and subsequently released on bail as the investigation continues.
The facility at RAF Fairford has gained strategic attention due to its role in hosting American bombers utilized in operations involving Iran. Following the discovery of the alleged plot, United States authorities withdrew their bombers from the base amid heightened security concerns regarding potential threats. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that the incident was “almost certainly” directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. While the Iranian government has officially denied any involvement in the plot, it has historically maintained that military installations used to strike its territory constitute legitimate targets.
The charges arrive during a period of increased concern among British intelligence agencies regarding the activities of foreign states. MI5 director general Ken McCallum recently warned that both Iran and Russia are expanding their hostile operations within the UK. McCallum indicated that Tehran’s efforts to widen its target scope have evolved, moving beyond individuals historically opposed to the country’s Islamic authorities. Intelligence data suggests that more than 50 people have been arrested over the past year in relation to various Iran-linked plots.
Laurence Taylor, assistant commissioner and head of National Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, emphasized that authorities are actively working to identify and mitigate threats believed to be orchestrated by the Iranian state. “We have seen a range of incidents in recent months that we believe have been directed by the Iranian state,” Taylor said, confirming that police are working in close cooperation with intelligence services to respond to the evolving security landscape. The two accused men are expected to appear in court later this week as the legal proceedings move forward.
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