Two British men have been charged with national security offences over an incident linked to RAF Fairford, a military base in southwest England that hosted US bombers used in strikes against Iran.
The charges have heightened security concerns surrounding the base, following the withdrawal of US long-range bombers after an unspecified threat emerged days after the initial arrests in September.
According to a CNN report, the Crown Prosecution Service announced on Tuesday that Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, was charged with conduct allegedly likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service.
Nouman Essghir, also 24 and resident in London, was charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom. The alleged offence occurred on August 22.
Both men were expected to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. Five other men arrested in connection with the investigation remain on police bail.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of UK counter-terrorism policing, said investigators believed Iran was the foreign country Abdulkarim was suspected of assisting.
Taylor said British authorities had recorded a series of incidents in recent months that they believed were directed by the Iranian state, adding that security agencies were working together to identify and counter the threat.
Earlier this month, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the suspected plot against RAF Fairford was “almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.” Tehran has firmly denied the allegations.
The base had been used by US B-1 bombers in operations against Iran. Following the arrests of five men near the facility in the early hours of September 27, the United States moved its long-range bombers away from Fairford on security grounds.
US President Donald Trump praised the arrests, claiming the suspects had planned to cause serious damage to the base. He also said the United States had worked with British authorities in the operation.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance later indicated that the aircraft relocation was prompted by security concerns. Vance described the decision as a precaution, while Trump said the bombers had been moved because of threats.
The latest charges represent a significant development in the investigation, but the allegations against the two men have yet to be tested in court. Iran continues to reject claims that it directed the suspected operation
