UK prosecutors charge two men after US airbase incident

• British prosecutors charged 24-year-old Mohmed Abdulkarim and 24-year-old Nouman Essghir under the National Security Act following a September incident at RAF Fairford
• Abdulkarim, a British-Iranian dual national, is accused of assisting Iran’s intelligence service, while British citizen Essghir is charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK
• Essghir was arrested outside the Gloucestershire base on September 27 amid a security response involving armed officers, bomb-disposal units, and resident evacuations; Abdulkarim was arrested in the past week, and six others remain on bail
• The base had been used by US bombers for strikes during the US-'Israeli' war on Iran this year, and US B-1 bombers were withdrawn shortly after the incident
• British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated the Fairford activity was likely coordinated in Iran, a claim denied by Iran’s ambassador to Britain

British prosecutors announced on Tuesday that two men have been charged with offences under the National Security Act following an incident in September at RAF Fairford, a military airbase in England utilized by the United States.

The Crown Prosecution Service stated that British-Iranian dual national Mohmed Abdulkarim and British citizen Nouman Essghir, both 24 years old, were charged under the legislation and are scheduled to appear in court later Tuesday.

Abdulkarim faces charges of assisting Iran’s intelligence service. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, affirmed that police believe the foreign country Abdulkarim was assisting was Iran.

Essghir is charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom.

The airbase, situated in Gloucestershire in southwestern England, had been used by US bombers to conduct strikes during the US-'Israeli' war on Iran this year.

Shortly after the incident took place at the installation, US B-1 bombers were withdrawn from the site.

Essghir was arrested outside the perimeter on September 27 after armed police officers and army bomb-disposal personnel deployed across the rural vicinity.

During the operation, dozens of local residents were evacuated from their homes while police and military ordnance disposal experts conducted searches for explosives.

Abdulkarim was arrested in the past week, while six other men have been arrested and released on bail as inquiries proceed.

The formal charges follow statements delivered last week by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who asserted that the activity at RAF Fairford was likely coordinated in Iran.

However, Iran’s ambassador to Britain has denied the accusation.