LONDON (AP) — Authorities in the U.K. have charged two individuals, Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim and Nouman Essghir, in connection with a suspected plot targeting the RAF Fairford military air base, operated by the U.S. in England. Both men are British nationals from London and face charges under the National Security Act.
Abdulkarim stands accused of aiding Iran’s intelligence services, while Essghir is charged with entering a restricted area with an intent detrimental to the U.K. They were scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
RAF Fairford is located in western England and has been a strategic base for U.S. bombers targeting Iran amid ongoing conflict. Essghir’s arrest occurred on September 27, following a large-scale response by armed police and military bomb-disposal teams, which resulted in the evacuation of numerous residents. Authorities found gasoline in vans at the scene but did not detect explosives.
Essghir initially secured bail before being re-arrested, while Abdulkarim’s arrest took place more recently. Investigations have led to the arrest of six additional individuals, who have since been released on bail. British investigative bodies have tied the potential threat to Tehran, prompting the U.S. to withdraw bombers from RAF Fairford.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggested that the plot was likely directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Despite Iran’s denial, it has justified targeting any base launching attacks against its territory. Earlier in the month, Ken McCallum, the chief of MI5, alerted that both Iran and Russia are escalating attacks against the U.K., with the RAF Fairford incident not being an isolated event. Over 50 arrests connected to Iran-related plots have been made in the past year.
“We have seen a range of incidents in recent months that we believe have been directed by the Iranian state,” stated Laurence Taylor, Assistant Commissioner and head of National Counter Terrorism Policing. The agency continues to collaborate on identifying and countering these threats.
A prior version of this report incorrectly identified Abdulkarim as a British-Iranian national, whereas he is British.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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