2 Men Charged With U.K. National Security Offenses Over Incident At U.S.-Run Military Base In England

British prosecutors charged two men on Tuesday with national security offenses stemming from a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, a critical military installation in Gloucestershire, England. The charges follow a complex counterterrorism investigation into an incident that prompted the withdrawal of United States heavy bombers from the base. Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, of London, faces a charge of assisting a foreign intelligence service. Nouman Essghir, also 24 and from London, was charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom. Both men are expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the charges under the National Security Act. Frank Ferguson, the chief crown prosecutor for the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, stated that the decision to prosecute followed a detailed inquiry. He noted that investigators would continue collaborating with partners as the case proceeds. The prosecution emphasized that these charges are not findings of guilt and that both defendants retain the right to a fair trial. Events leading to the charges began in the early hours of September 27, when police arrested five men outside the base. Armed officers and army bomb-disposal experts swept through the rural area, including the nearby village of Whelford, located approximately one mile from the facility. Residents were evacuated from their homes while officials searched for explosives. Authorities later reported finding quantities of gasoline in vans at the scene but did not locate any explosives. Essghir was arrested during this initial operation. He was subsequently released on bail before being re-arrested the previous week. Abdulkarim was detained within the last seven days. Six other men have also been arrested and released on bail as inquiries continue. Counterterrorism police believe the foreign entity Abdulkarim allegedly assisted was Iran. Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the apparent plot as almost certainly directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. This assessment aligns with warnings issued earlier this month by Ken McCallum, the head of Britain’s MI5 spy agency. McCallum stated that Tehran is seeking to expand attacks in the United Kingdom beyond traditional targets such as opponents of the Islamic regime. He revealed that more than 50 individuals have been arrested over Iran-linked plots in the past year. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who heads National Counter Terrorism Policing, affirmed that agencies are working together to identify and respond to threats believed to be directed by the Iranian state. The incident occurred after the base was utilized by American B-1 bombers to conduct strikes against Iranian military targets during this year’s conflict. Following the arrests, roughly a dozen B-1 bombers were withdrawn from RAF Fairford and returned to their home stations in the United States on security grounds. Iran has denied involvement in the plot, though it has previously declared any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target. The base serves as a primary European operating location for U.S. heavy aviation assets. Security measures around the site remain heightened. Roadblocks and security checks persist in the vicinity. The legal proceedings mark the formal judicial step in a case that has drawn attention to broader regional tensions involving U.S. military infrastructure in Europe. The specific roles of the six other men remain under review. No further charges have been announced regarding them at this time. The court appearance represents the next procedural stage in handling the allegations against the two named defendants.