London Duo Charged: RAF Fairford Plot Targets U.S. Bombers

Two men from London now face national security charges following a suspected plot against RAF Fairford, a U.S. military airbase in western England. The Crown Prosecution Service announced the charges on Tuesday, identifying the defendants as Mohmed Abdulkarim and Nouman Essghir. Both men are 24 years old and were due to appear in court later that same day.

Abdulkarim, a British-Iranian dual national, faces a charge of assisting Iran's intelligence service. Essghir, a British citizen, is accused of entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom. Police and prosecutors stated that the pair were charged under the National Security Act.

The incident began on Sept. 27 when Essghir was arrested outside the base. Armed police and army bomb-disposal experts entered the rural area, leading to the evacuation of scores of residents. Searches for explosives concluded that no explosive devices were found, though a quantity of gasoline, an accelerant, was discovered in vans at the scene. Essghir was initially released on bail but was re-arrested last week. Abdulkarim was arrested within the past week, and six other men remain on bail as investigations continue.

British authorities have linked Tehran to the incident, prompting the United States to remove its B-1 bombers from the base several days after the arrests. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated the plot was almost certainly directed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. While Iran denies direct involvement, the country has previously declared any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.

Ken McCallum, head of the U.K.'s domestic security service, said Tehran is seeking to escalate attacks in Britain beyond 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 intervene and respond to the threat directed by the Iranian state.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly stated they suspected Iranian involvement at some level. The U.S. has since withdrawn several B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford, which had been used to strike Iran during this year's war.

The next step in the legal process involves the defendants' appearance in court on Tuesday, where they will enter pleas and discuss the timeline for their trials.