Two Men Charged in UK Terror Plot Involving RAF Fairford

Two men have been charged with offenses under the National Security Act 2023 in connection with an alleged terror plot at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England.

Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, and Nouman Essghir, 24, both residents of Westminster, London, are scheduled to appear in court. Abdulkarim is accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service between August 31 and September 28, while Essghir faces a charge of entering a prohibited place for purposes prejudicial to the United Kingdom.

The arrests followed a police response in the early hours of September 27, when authorities were alerted to three suspicious vehicles near the airbase. The incident prompted the evacuation of dozens of residents from their homes and the launch of a major counterterrorism investigation. Seven individuals were initially arrested, but Abdulkarim and Essghir are the first to be formally charged.

While the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has not officially named the foreign intelligence service Abdulkarim is suspected of assisting, it is understood to be Iran.

Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, stated that the charges follow an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing into the incident at RAF Fairford. He added that the CPS will continue to collaborate with partners as the investigation progresses.