The Crown Prosecution Service has charged two 24-year-old men in connection with an alleged plot to attack the Fairford air base in southwest England. Both have been charged under the National Security Act 2023 and are due to appear in court in London later today.
Mohammed Abdulkarim is charged with assisting foreign intelligence. British police say the attack was in support of Iran. Numan Esgir is charged with trespassing into a restricted area with the intent to harm the United Kingdom.
The charges follow an investigation into an incident on September 27. Five British nationals were arrested near the base in the early hours of that day. Following the incident, US bombers based at “Fairford“ and involved in strikes against Iran were relocated for security reasons.
Investigation continues
The head of the British counter-terrorism service, Lawrence Taylor, said that “it is highly likely that there was Iranian state involvement“. He said the investigation was ongoing, and investigators were establishing the level of alleged involvement and the purpose of the actions.
British authorities are not presenting the charges as proven guilt. Abdulkarim and Esgir are defendants and enjoy the presumption of innocence until a court rules otherwise.
Initially, five men were detained near the base after a report of suspicious vehicles. Subsequently, other arrests were made as part of the investigation, and some of those detained were released on police bail.
The two defendants are due to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court. The first procedural steps in the case will be specified at this hearing.
Sources: bta.bg, whbl.com