By Sohaib Shams
Two British nationals appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday charged in connection with an alleged Iran-linked plot targeting RAF Fairford, a US-operated airbase in Gloucestershire.
Charges and defendants
Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, from Westminster, London, is charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service, which police believe to be Iran. Nouman Essghir, also 24 and from Westminster, is charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK on 22 August, weeks before his arrest near the base.
Background of the incident
A major incident was declared on 27 September after three suspicious vans bearing the logo "Fuel2You" were spotted near the airbase. Dozens of residents were evacuated and a large cordon established. Police seized a quantity of petrol but found no explosive materials. Five men were arrested after the vans encountered a Ministry of Defence Police cordon and re-routed; one of them called 999 to report the activity.
Court proceedings
Essghir's charge relates to an alleged reconnaissance mission on 22 August, about a month before the Fairford incident. He appeared in a grey sweatshirt and was remanded in custody. Abdulkarim appeared in a wheelchair wearing a checked shirt, jeans and a baseball cap; he was granted bail with conditions including surrender of his passport. Both are charged under the 2023 National Security Act. The case will next be heard at the Old Bailey on 20 November.
Wider investigation
Eight men have been arrested in total as part of the counter-terrorism investigation. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said the release of five men on police bail in September had raised public questions but defended the tactics, stating they led to swifter progress and the charges announced. US President Donald Trump said he was "surprised" by the releases. Iran has denied any involvement. The base has hosted US B-1 and B-52 bombers for defensive strikes against Iran; after the September incident the US withdrew its bombers.
