Three men have been indicted in the United States in connection with an alleged terrorist conspiracy targeting RAF Fairford, the British base in Gloucestershire that was housing US military aircraft and personnel at the time of the planned assault.
The defendants — Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, an Iranian-Iraqi national, Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national, and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, an Iraqi national — face a series of terrorism-related charges. The charges relate to activities supporting Kata'ib Hizballah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both designated as foreign terrorist organisations by the US, as well as a September 2026 terror plot aimed at the base.
Charges and Alleged Network
The US Justice Department released details of the charges, connecting the three men to approximately 20 attacks and attempted attacks across Europe and the United States. Al-Hassani allegedly orchestrated the conspiracy at RAF Fairford, while al-Hassani and Mohajeri, both reportedly operating from Iran during the plot, allegedly made use of a network of contacts within the UK.
Al-Saadi, who was being held and awaiting trial on separate terrorism charges in the Southern District of New York, allegedly attempted to make contact with al-Hassani and Mohajeri from his prison cell by sending coded messages through intermediaries.
Preparatory Activities and Arrests
According to the US Justice Department, al-Hassani allegedly directed and paid associates in the United Kingdom to undertake preparatory activities and organise logistics for the plot in August of this year. Prosecutors claim that on August 22, al-Hassani paid someone to conduct 'pre-operational surveillance of RAF Fairford's perimeter', later receiving footage of the area surrounding the base.
The following month, al-Hassani is alleged to have paid several individuals to help him prepare, with tasks including securing vans and fuel barrels, researching the procurement of chemical accelerants such as large quantities of potassium chloride, and purchasing metal objects that could function as explosive shrapnel. At al-Hassani's direction, these men arranged for custom decals to be produced and affixed to the vans, creating the appearance they belonged to a fuel delivery company and a swimming pool maintenance business.
Official Statements and Impact
On September 26, al-Hassani allegedly instructed individuals to drive three vans, some subsequently discovered to be carrying fuel barrels, towards the RAF Fairford base. At least two of the three vehicles were stopped at a security checkpoint while making their way towards the perimeter, preventing them from continuing along their intended route. In the early hours of the following morning, police arrested the occupants of the vans.
Attorney General Todd Blanche stated: "Anyone who plans a terrorist plot on a military base housing American servicemembers will be prosecuted by the United States government." He added: "The defendants listed in the indictment allegedly supported two foreign terrorist organisations, and al-Saadi allegedly coordinated with his co-defendants in the days leading up to the attempted terrorist plot." FBI Director Kash Patel remarked that the eight-count indictment "shows the determination of Iran to commit terrorist attacks" in America and Europe.
