Three men indicted by US over RAF Fairford terror plot as more details released

Three men 'with Iran links' indicted over RAF Fairford terror plot as more details released Their charges are related to activities in support of Kata'ib Hizballah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a September 2026 terrorist plot at the British RAF Base in Fairford Three men linked to Iran have been indicted for plotting an alleged terror attack at RAF Fairford earlier this year. The men have been named as Iranian-Iraqi national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Iranian national Mohsen Mohajeri and Iraqi national Mohammad Ali al-Hassani. They have been charged with terrorism-related offenses linked to the plot at RAF Fairford. The US Justice Department released the details on the charges, which has linked the men to nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks throughout Europe and the US. Their charges are related to activities in support of Kata'ib Hizballah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), two US designated foreign terrorist organizations, and a September 2026 terrorist plot at the British RAF Base in Fairford, Gloucestershire. In September 2026, the men allegedly orchestrated the terrorist plot at the military base. At the time, the base housed US military aircraft and personnel. Al-Hassani and Mohajeri were in Iran at the time of the plot, but allegedly relied on a network of contacts in the UK. Al-Saadi, who was imprisoned and awaiting trial on pending terrorism charges in the Southern District of New York, allegedly attempted to coordinate with the other two men from jail by passing coded messages through third parties. According to the US Justice Department, al-Hassani allegedly directed and paid associates in the UK to conduct preparatory steps and arrange logistics for the RAF Fairford Terrorist Plot in August of this year. Prosecutors say that on August 22, al-Hassani paid one person to perform "pre-operational surveillance of RAF Fairford's perimeter" and he then received videos of the area surrounding the base. In September, he is accused of paying several people to help him prepare for the plot. Preparations included procuring vans and barrels of fuel, researching the purchase of chemical accelerants, including large quantities of potassium chloride, and purchasing metallic objects that could be used as explosive shrapnel. The US have said that the group recruited commissioned custom decals that they attached to vans to create the appearance that they were used by a fuel delivery business and a swimming pool supply business. This was done at al-Hassani's urging, they say. On September 26, he allegedly requested the three vans to be driven drive three vans to the RAF Fairford base, some of which were later determined to contain barrels of fuel. It is believed that al-Hassani was in frequent communication with the van drivers on the day, helping to coordinate their movements and directing them where to drive. At least two of the three vans encountered a security roadblock and were not allowed to proceed on their intended route while en route to the perimeter of RAF Fairford. He communicated with the drivers and occupants of the vans both before and after encountering the security checkpoint, prosecutors say. Early the next morning, the occupants of the van were arrested by police. Attorney General Todd Blanche said: "Anyone who plans a terrorist plot on a military base housing American servicemembers will be prosecuted by the United States government." He continued: "The defendants listed in the indictment allegedly supported two foreign terrorist organizations, and al-Saadi allegedly coordinated with his co-defendants in the days leading up to the attempted terrorist plot." FBI Director Kash Patel said that the eight-count indictment "shows the determination of Iran to commit terrorist attacks" in America and Europe.