Two British nationals face criminal charges following an investigation into a security incident at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, with investigators linking the case to suspected Iranian state activity. Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed the developments after months of inquiries involving multiple arrests near the airbase.
Two Men Charged Under National Security Act at Westminster Court
Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim, 24, of Westminster, London, faces prosecution for assisting a foreign intelligence service under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023. Investigators state that the foreign intelligence service in question is Iran. The Crown Prosecution Service brought formal charges following a major counterterrorism investigation into security breaches at the US-operated Gloucestershire airbase.
Police arrested Nouman Essghir at the scene near RAF Fairford on September 27. Officers acted on reports of suspicious vehicles in the area. They later re-arrested him on October 20. Essghir, also 24 and from Westminster, was charged under Section 4 of the National Security Act 2023 for entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.
Both defendants are scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, detailed the legal action in a public statement.
The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute two individuals with National Security Act offences following a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation into a high-profile incident involving RAF Fairford. We will continue to work close with our partners as this complex investigation continues.
Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division
Counterterrorism Police Link Investigation to Iranian State Activity
Law enforcement descended on the Gloucestershire airbase during an early-morning alert on September 27 after three suspicious vans appeared near the perimeter. While police found no explosive materials inside the vehicles, they recovered a quantity of petrol. They established a large security cordon around the facility that remained in place for several days.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the head of National Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, placed the Fairford arrests within a pattern of security concerns.
We have seen a range of incidents in recent months that we believe have been directed by the Iranian state, and as the director general of MI5 said just the other week, we are working together to intervene, identify and respond to that threat. The public can help us with this, and as always I would urge them to report anything that they’re worried about – those reports can and do make a difference.
Laurence Taylor, Assistant Commissioner and Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing
Police Bail Status and Unresolved Arrests in the Ongoing Inquiry
Police have arrested eight men in total throughout the course of the counterterrorism operation. Five other British nationals originally detained near the base on suspicion of Explosives Act offences and later held on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts remain on police bail.
A 25-year-old UK-Iranian dual national, initially arrested on October 1 on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts and re-arrested on October 20 alongside Essghir, has been released without charge. That individual remains on police bail while detectives continue their inquiries. Investigators also interviewed a further man under caution as the probe expanded following the October re-arrests.
Security Fallout at the US-Operated Airbase
The United States utilized the facility to fly B-1 and B-52 bombers on missions to the region after receiving UK approval for defensive strikes against Iran. The incident at RAF Fairford unfolded against a backdrop of military activity at the base, which has served for decades as a forward operating location for the United States Air Force. The United States began these missions following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East early in the year.
US President Donald Trump attributed the withdrawal to unspecified threats directed at the installation. In the wake of the September security breach, the US military pulled its bomber aircraft out of Gloucestershire and returned them to the United States.