U.S. charges accuse 3 men of plotting multiple terrorist attacks, including planned attack against British air base

Three men face federal charges

Al-Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi national, is the only defendant in custody, according to the report. Mohajeri is Iranian, while Al-Hassani is Iraqi. The charges were announced Tuesday.

Alleged plans at RAF Fairford

Prosecutors say Al-Hassani paid associates to watch RAF Fairford in August, then funded steps toward an attack the following month. The indictment alleges the group sought vans and fuel, looked into chemical accelerants and bought metal items that could serve as shrapnel.

Authorities say the suspects created decals to make the vans look like vehicles belonging to a fuel company and a swimming pool supplier. Al-Hassani allegedly directed associates to take fuel to the base when U.K. law enforcement detained them.

Detentions and alleged coordination

Five men were detained after midnight on Sept. 27 on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offenses. The arrests followed reports of three suspicious vans heading toward the base in western England.

U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald said Al-Saadi allegedly continued coordinating with his co-defendants shortly before the attempted September plot. McDonald said the case involved threats to Jewish communities and the British military base, which housed American service members.