RAF Fairford: Two Charged in Iran Spy Plot
Last updated 2026-10-27 20:00 UTC. Built from CPS press release, Guardian (19:24 UTC), CNBC, ITV, Iran International, BritBrief, UPI, Assistant Commissioner Taylor statement.
What happened
Two British men appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on 27 October 2026, charged under the National Security Act 2023. Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, is accused of assisting Iranian intelligence between 31 August and 28 September 2026. Nouman Essghir, 24, is accused of entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK on 22 August. The charges stem from an incident on 27 September when police found three vans near RAF Fairford loaded with petrol drums but no explosives. US bombers had been withdrawn from the base on security grounds after that incident.
2Defendants charged under the National Security Act 2023
8Total arrests made in the investigation so far
Date of alleged reconnaissance
22 August 2026 (Essghir)
Date of alleged plot at base
27 September 2026
Court hearing
27 October 2026 Westminster Magistrates Court
Cash Abdulkarim allegedly received
Over £65,000
Petrol purchased for the vans
~£300 stored in drums
Men sent to base in vans
5
Vans used in the September operation
3
The alleged plot
Prosecutors allege Abdulkarim arranged for five men to travel to RAF Fairford in three vans at the request of a handler known only as "Ali." The vans contained oil drums filled with petrol, water butts, and internet-enabled dashcams. The men were told by phone to park near the base and walk away. One then received a message warning of a bomb inside a van and called emergency services. Police arrived and detained all five; no explosives were found. Abdulkarim was allegedly paid over £65,000 to buy the vans, phones, dashcams, and fuel.
"We are confident that this activity was conducted on behalf of a foreign intelligence service.
"Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor
Who is the handler "Ali"
The alleged organiser is known only as "Ali" and is believed to have left the UK. Prosecutors told the court Ali is also potentially connected to a separate incident at the Israeli embassy in London in 2026, where propaganda videos were posted online falsely claiming a chemical-weapon drone had attacked it. Counter Terrorism Policing said Iranian involvement in the Fairford incident is considered "highly likely," but exact circumstances and motives are still under investigation.
Why RAF Fairford matters
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire used by the US Air Force for heavy bomber operations. US B-52 Stratofortress aircraft arrived in March 2026 after permission was granted for "defensive operations" in Iran. The bombers were withdrawn after the 27 September incident. The base has served as the USAF's primary European heavy-bomber forward operating location and hosted B-52s during the Iraq War.
"The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute two individuals with National Security Act offences. We will continue to work with our partners as this investigation continues.
"Frank Ferguson CPS Chief Crown Prosecutor
What we do not know yet
The identity and location of handler "Ali" has not been publicly established; he is believed to have left the UK. It is not known whether "Ali" is a formal IRGC officer or an independent contractor. The Israeli embassy connection has been asserted by prosecutors but not independently confirmed. Six other arrested individuals remain on police bail; no decision on further charges has been announced. The US has not publicly commented on plans to return bombers to RAF Fairford.
What to watch next
- 2026-11-20: Both defendants appear at the Old Bailey for the next hearing.
- Ongoing: Whether further charges are brought against the six people still on bail.
- Ongoing: Whether UK or US authorities identify and pursue handler "Ali."
- Ongoing: Whether US B-52 bombers return to RAF Fairford.
- Ongoing: Whether prosecutors formally link the plot to the Israeli embassy video.
How we know this. Charge details and CPS statement: Crown Prosecution Service press release of 27 October 2026. Plot details and handler information: prosecution opening statements reported by Guardian (19:24 UTC), Iran International, CNBC, ITV and BritBrief. Assistant Commissioner Taylor's statement: Counter Terrorism Policing. Cover image: US Air Force photograph of a B-52H Stratofortress at RAF Fairford on 12 May 1999 (USAF photo); as a US federal government work it is in the public domain.