British authorities charged two men over a suspected plot against RAF Fairford
UK authorities charged Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim, 24, with conduct to assist a foreign intelligence service, and Nouman Essghir, 24, with entering, accessing, inspecting or approaching a prohibited place, over a suspected plot involving RAF Fairford. Both appeared Tuesday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Laurence Taylor, head of British counterterrorism policing, said he believed Iran was the country involved.
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UK authorities charged two men on Tuesday over a suspected plot against RAF Fairford, a Gloucestershire air base. The base had been used by US bombers carrying out strikes on Iran; Washington withdrew the aircraft on security grounds shortly after five men were arrested outside the base on Sept. 27.
Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim, 24, of London, was charged under the National Security Act with conduct to assist a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors said he arranged for five men to travel to the base in three vans. Laurence Taylor, head of British counterterrorism policing, said authorities believed the foreign country involved was Iran.
Nouman Essghir, 24, was charged under the act with entering, accessing, inspecting or approaching a prohibited place for reasons prejudicial to the UK’s safety or interests on Aug. 22. Both men appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
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Verifier’s note
The Hill and Iran International report that two men were charged over the RAF Fairford incident, matching the proposed event. ASIS International also reports the charges but attributes its account to Reuters.