Two men have appeared in court charged under the National Security Act 2023 over an alleged plot to drive vans loaded with petrol to RAF Fairford, co-ordinated by a handler believed to be working on behalf of Iran.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that a group of men were ordered to drive the vans to the base by a handler known as ‘Ali’, who police believe was working on behalf of Iran.
Court hears of bomb warning
One of the five men tasked with driving to the base called police in the early hours of September 27 after the organiser warned the group of a bomb in the vans, prosecutors said.
Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, and Nouman Essghir, 24, both appeared in court on Tuesday. Abdulkarim, of London, is accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service by acting as an “intermediary” for the handler Ali.
Essghir, also of London, has been charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK, relating to an alleged “reconnaissance” mission on August 22, around a month before the Fairford incident.
Vans searched at base
After loading the vans and travelling to RAF Fairford, the men were allegedly told to park the vans and walk away by the organiser over the phone.
Prosecuting, Louise Gray, said: “Shortly thereafter the message was received that there was a bomb in the vehicles and one of them called the police.”
Police attended, located three white vans and five men, who were arrested. No explosives, or improvised explosives, were found in the vans, the court heard.
Police did find a metal oil drum in each, two of which had petrol in, along with hard plastic water butts and internet-enabled dashcams.
Alleged payments and next steps
Abdulkarim is alleged to have aided the organiser, Ali, who is believed to be abroad and to be acting in the interests of the Iranian state. Prosecutors allege that Abdulkarim bought equipment for the mission and received multiple payments from Ali totalling around £70,000.
Ali is also potentially connected to an incident at the Israeli embassy earlier this year, where propaganda videos were posted online suggesting it had been attacked with a chemical weapon by a drone, the court heard.
Essghir, who was also alleged to have known Ali, was among those arrested near the Fairford base on September 27, before he was re-arrested on October 20. The charge he faces relates to alleged filming of the perimeter of RAF Fairford on August 22 at the request of Ali.
RAF Fairford is used by the United States Air Force (USAF), and heavy bombers arrived there in March following permission being granted for “defensive operations” in Iran.
A 25-year-old dual UK/Iranian national, who was re-arrested on October 20 on suspicion of aiding Iran’s intelligence service, has been released without charge but remains on police bail after being arrested on October 1 on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts.
Five other men arrested during the investigation remain on police bail. Abdulkarim, who was in a wheelchair in court, has been granted bail with conditions including residence and the surrender of his passport. Essghir has been remanded in custody, and both men will next appear at the Old Bailey on November 20.
