Two men face charges after RAF Fairford incident as UK prosecutors bring National Security Act case
Charges and court appearance
The Crown Prosecution Service announced charges against Abdulkarim, a British-Iranian dual national, and Essghir, a British citizen. Each faces a separate allegation under the National Security Act.
Police response at Fairford
Essghir was arrested outside RAF Fairford on September 27. Armed police and army bomb-disposal specialists went to the rural area, and dozens of residents were evacuated while searches for explosives took place.
Abdulkarim was arrested during the past week, according to the report. Six additional men have been arrested and released on bail while the investigation proceeds.
Base and wider security context
RAF Fairford is in Gloucestershire, southwest England, and has been used by the United States. The base had also hosted US bombers conducting strikes in the US-Israeli war on Iran this year.
US B-1 bombers were later withdrawn from the site. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said police believed Iran was the country Abdulkarim was assisting; Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the activity was likely coordinated there, a claim Iran’s ambassador denied.
Key points
- Two men face National Security Act charges linked to a September incident at RAF Fairford.
- Abdulkarim is accused of assisting Iran’s intelligence service, while Essghir faces a prohibited-place charge.
- Six other men arrested in the inquiry have been released on bail.
- Iran’s ambassador to Britain denied Andy Burnham’s claim that the activity was likely coordinated in Iran.