Two men charged under UK National Security Act over RAF Fairford incident linked to Iran

Two men charged under the National Security Act

Two men aged 24 were charged on Tuesday, 27 October, under the National Security Act over an incident near RAF Fairford, an airbase in Gloucestershire used by US forces. Mohmed Abdulkarim, a London resident, is accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service between 31 August and 28 September. Nouman Essghir, also from London, is accused of entering a prohibited place on 22 August for a purpose he knew or ought to have known was prejudicial to the interests of the United Kingdom. Both men are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court later the same day. These are the first charges brought in a case that began with events on 27 September.

Police point to Iran

Counter-terrorism police have tied the case to Tehran, and the prime minister has gone further. Laurence Taylor, the head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, linked recent incidents to the Iranian state:

“We have seen a range of incidents in recent months that we believe have been directed by the Iranian state”

Police consider Iranian state involvement highly likely. Andy Burnham has said the incident was almost certainly coordinated in Iran and most likely directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, and he has announced sanctions. The Iranian embassy in London rejects the allegation and has threatened legal action, according to eldiario.es.

How the investigation unfolded

In the early hours of 27 September, police were alerted to three suspicious vehicles near the base, and a major incident was declared that led to dozens of homes being evacuated. Armed officers stopped the vehicles and arrested five men, and they seized materials they initially thought could be explosives. The inquiry later established that there were no bombs and not enough material to make them. Seven men have been arrested during the investigation, and two of them were rearrested on 20 October on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. The other men arrested are now free while the inquiry continues, with a 25-year-old UK-Iranian national released without charge, according to the BBC.

The US bombers at Fairford

The US Air Force used RAF Fairford during the war with Iran, and British authorization was limited, as former prime minister Keir Starmer explained, to defensive operations for other countries attacked by Iran. Donald Trump often complained about those limits. The Pentagon withdrew its bombers from the base in early October and sent them home. Twelve B-1 bombers were pulled out of the base at the start of October following the incident, and at least three of them were at a base in South Dakota. The base had been withdrawn for security reasons shortly after the arrests.

What happens next

Both men will appear before the magistrates' court in London. The investigation into the remaining suspects continues under surveillance. Iran's denial means the dispute over the state's role is unlikely to be settled soon. Any further charges will depend on the inquiry's findings.