The U.S. Justice Department announced formal charges on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, against three individuals described as Iranian operatives for their alleged involvement in a terrorist plot at Britain's RAF Fairford airbase in southwest England. The accused are identified as Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Mohsen Mohajeri, and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani.
Authorities allege the group helped plan and direct an incident at the base in September, where a local farmer reported seeing several white vans engaged in suspicious activity. According to the U.S. charging document, Al-Hassani, a 35-year-old Iraqi national, directed individuals to drive to the base in vehicles disguised as fuel delivery services, some of which reportedly contained barrels of fuel. He is also accused of paying the group to purchase metallic objects intended to be used as shrapnel.
Al-Saadi, 32, a dual Iranian-Iraqi national currently in U.S. custody on separate terrorism charges, allegedly coordinated the plot by passing coded messages to Al-Hassani and 48-year-old Iranian national Mohajeri. Prosecutors stated that following the incident, the U.S. military withdrew its B-1 bombers from the site. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the government would prosecute anyone planning attacks on military bases that house American personnel.
The eight-count indictment accuses the trio of conspiring to provide material support to terrorist organizations, specifically the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the pro-Iranian group Kataeb Hezbollah, as well as conspiring to bomb a place of public use. While Al-Saadi has been jailed in New York since May, the whereabouts of Al-Hassani and Mohajeri remain undisclosed by prosecutors.
Key facts
- The charges were announced by the U.S. Justice Department on November 10, 2026.
- Al-Saadi is a 32-year-old dual Iranian-Iraqi national currently in U.S. custody.
- Al-Hassani is a 35-year-old Iraqi national; Mohsen Mohajeri is a 48-year-old Iranian national.
- The plot allegedly involved disguising vehicles carrying fuel as delivery services near the RAF Fairford airbase.
- The indictment includes charges of conspiracy to bomb a place of public use and providing material support to the IRGC.
Why it matters
The incident has led to increased security concerns regarding U.S. and NATO intelligence operations in Britain. Following the September event at RAF Fairford and subsequent threats, the U.S. military has removed at least a dozen aircraft from another British facility, RAF Mildenhall.
Background
In May, U.S. authorities charged Al-Saadi with directing attacks on U.S. and Israeli interests, including 18 terrorist acts in Europe and two in Canada. Additionally, British police last month charged two U.K. nationals with national security offences in connection with the Fairford incident, including assisting a foreign intelligence service.
Source: The Hindu
Comments