Three men have been indicted for allegedly orchestrating a terror plot at RAF Fairford, the US Justice Department has announced. The men have been linked to nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks throughout Europe and the United States.
Charges and Alleged Involvement
The defendants are 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 connected to activities in support of Kata'ib Hizballah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both US-designated foreign terrorist organizations, and a September 2026 terrorist plot at the British RAF base in Fairford.
In September 2026, al-Hassani allegedly orchestrated the plot at RAF Fairford, which at the time housed US military aircraft and personnel. Al-Hassani and Mohajeri, both in Iran at the time, allegedly relied on a network of contacts in the UK.
Details of the Alleged Plot
Al-Saadi, who was imprisoned and awaiting trial on pending terrorism charges in the Southern District of New York, allegedly attempted to coordinate with al-Hassani and Mohajeri 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 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 then received videos of the area surrounding the base. In September, al-Hassani is accused of paying several individuals to help prepare for the plot, including 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.
Events Leading to Arrest
The US has stated that, at al-Hassani's urging, those individuals commissioned custom decals affixed to the vans to create the appearance that they were used by a fuel delivery business and a swimming pool supply business. On September 26, al-Hassani allegedly tasked individuals to drive three vans, some later determined to contain barrels of fuel, to the RAF Fairford base.
That day, al-Hassani was allegedly in frequent communication with the van drivers, coordinating their movements and directing where to drive. At least two of the three vans, while en route to the perimeter of RAF Fairford, encountered a security roadblock and were not allowed to proceed. Al-Hassani communicated with the drivers and occupants both before and after the checkpoint. In the early morning of the next day, the occupants of the vans were arrested by police.
Prosecution and Statements
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. According to the allegations in the superseding indictment and other court filings, the three men allegedly conspired to commit terrorist attacks in Europe and the US on behalf of an Iran-aligned terrorist network.
Assistant US Attorneys Jeffrey W. Coyle, Sarah L. Kushner, David J. Robles and Chelsea L. Scism for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from James Donnelly and Paul Casey of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
