Wider alleged Iran-backed operations: US terror case sheds light on RAF Fairford arrests mystery

Arrest and allegations in the US

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey in May and extradited to the US within weeks. In June, he appeared in a Manhattan courtroom and described himself as “a prisoner of war,” according to the report.

Alleged directions from Ali

The US says al-Saadi gave an instruction to “Give him money so we can do it,” though its meaning was unclear. Prosecutors allege that an associate called Ali then directed an incident in a Cotswold village beside RAF Fairford.

At Westminster magistrates court, prosecutors said two men in vans had been directed to Fairford by a handler called Ali. The two Britons from London were charged with assisting Iranian intelligence under the 2023 National Security Act. They are awaiting trial and have not yet entered pleas.

Hayi attacks in London

US prosecutors describe al-Hassani and Mohsen Mohajeri as associates of al-Saadi in a low-level Hayi campaign during March and April. Video evidence shows Mohajeri telling al-Hassani, “We need to get focused on London,” as they viewed a map on a laptop on 6 April.

Six attacks in the capital followed shortly afterward, according to the report. Prosecutors say video from a FaceTime call shows al-Hassani directing an attacker to use a lighter and throw incendiary devices. The alleged arson attacks targeted synagogues and other Jewish community sites.

A wider conflict in Britain

Al-Saadi was in US custody, but al-Hassani and Mohajeri remained at liberty. In August, al-Hassani was accused by the US of organizing preparations for the alleged plot against RAF Fairford.

The report says Britain’s role in US-led bombing of Iran was limited to permitting use of its airbases. It also describes the UK as a setting for a simmering conflict and a psychological arena in a war started by Donald Trump.