US Charges Three in Iran-Backed RAF Fairford Plot: What the Indictment Says
The US Justice Department has charged three men over an alleged Iran-backed plot targeting RAF Fairford, saying one suspect ran it from a New York jail cell.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / Colin Cooke Photo
WASHINGTON — The United States Department of Justice unsealed an eight-count superseding indictment on Tuesday charging three men with plotting terrorist attacks in Europe and the United States for an Iran-aligned network, including an alleged September plot against RAF Fairford, the English base that housed American military aircraft and personnel.
Filed in the Southern District of New York, the indictment names Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi national; Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national; and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, an Iraqi national. Prosecutors say the three acted in support of Kata'ib Hizballah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, both designated foreign terrorist organisations by the United States.
Key Takeaways
- An eight-count indictment unsealed on November 10 charges three men over nearly 20 alleged attacks in Europe and the United States.
- Prosecutors say al-Hassani organised the September plot and al-Saadi directed it from a New York jail cell.
- Police arrested seven men near the base on September 27 and later charged two under the National Security Act; no explosives were found.
- Al-Saadi is in US custody awaiting trial; it is unclear whether Mohajeri and al-Hassani, both believed to be in Iran, are in custody.
What Happened at RAF Fairford in September 2026?
Prosecutors say al-Hassani organised the Fairford plot in September, recruiting associates in Britain to watch the base and arrange logistics. Three vans were driven towards the perimeter on September 26, and police arrested seven men at gunpoint nearby the next day.
The seven men were released on bail after no explosives were found. Two were later charged under the National Security Act, one of them for assisting a foreign intelligence service. B-1B bombers left the base after the incident, and American aircraft were also moved from RAF Mildenhall on November 9, after the alert level was raised at Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath.
Who Is Mohammad Al-Saadi and How Did He Direct the Plot From Jail?
Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey in May and transferred to the United States, where he was charged over his work for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Kata'ib Hizballah, his role in about 18 attacks in Europe and an attempt to bomb a synagogue in New York. He has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial.
Held in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, prosecutors say he coordinated with al-Hassani and Mohajeri by passing coded messages through phone calls with his mother and sister, and gave final approval for the Fairford plan. The Justice Department moved last month to limit his family calls, and Judge Colleen McMahon questioned the coded-language claim in a November 4 ruling.
What Charges Do the Three Men Face and What Happens Next?
The indictment charges the three men with terrorism-related offences. Prosecutors say the network carried out or attempted nearly 20 attacks since February, seven of them in the United Kingdom, including a stabbing of two Jewish men in London and an alleged attempt to burn down the Bank of New York Mellon in Amsterdam.
The charges come as Qatar has secured a two-week window for diplomacy with Iran, while American diplomacy with Tehran has produced no breakthrough. President Donald Trump has said he believed the incident was linked to Iran; Tehran's ambassador in London has denied any Iranian role. An indictment is an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | Al-Saadi arrested in Turkey, transferred to the US |
| September 26, 2026 | Three vans driven towards RAF Fairford perimeter |
| September 27, 2026 | Seven men arrested near the base; no explosives found |
| October 27, 2026 | Two men appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court |
| November 9, 2026 | US tankers leave RAF Mildenhall |
| November 10, 2026 | Eight-count indictment unsealed in New York |
Frequently Asked Questions
Was anyone hurt in the RAF Fairford terror plot?
No. Seven men were arrested near the base on September 27, no explosives were found, and the men were released on bail; two were later charged under the National Security Act.
Are US bombers still based at RAF Fairford?
No. American B-1B bombers left the base after the September incident, and tanker aircraft have also left RAF Mildenhall.
Are the three men charged in the RAF Fairford plot in custody?
Only one. Al-Saadi is held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while awaiting trial; Mohajeri and al-Hassani were in Iran at the time and their custody status is unclear.
