US Indicts Three Operatives Over European Terror Plots and RAF Fairford Incident

The United States Department of Justice has unsealed an eight-count indictment charging three individuals with orchestrating terror plots across Europe and the United States on behalf of Iranian entities. According to American prosecutors, the suspects planned attacks linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah, including an operation targeting a British airbase.

The indictment names Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national, Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, an Iraqi national, and Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi citizen. US authorities alleged that al-Saadi coordinated with contacts in Britain while detained in a New York prison on earlier charges, while Mohajeri and al-Hassani operated from Iran. Prosecutors stated that the suspects conducted operations under the name of a group called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which claimed responsibility for 18 attacks in Europe in the spring of 2026.

Seven of the claimed attacks occurred in Britain, including arson incidents, explosives, and an April stabbing of two Jewish men in London. Regarding the September incident near RAF Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire, the Department of Justice said al-Hassani paid associates to conduct perimeter surveillance in August before funding the procurement of vans, fuel barrels, potential shrapnel, and chemical accelerants. On 26 September, drivers instructed by al-Hassani attempted to approach the base in vans disguised as commercial delivery vehicles but encountered a security roadblock.

A local farmer reported the vehicles to police early on 27 September, leading to the seizure of fuel barrels, though no explosive materials were discovered. British authorities subsequently arrested seven men, and two British nationals appeared in court last month in connection with the investigation. The Iranian embassy in London issued a statement saying it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” what it called “unfounded and malicious speculations” linking Tehran to the plot. Iranian officials had previously stated in July that any foreign military base used for actions against Iranian territory represented a legitimate target for its armed forces.

FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the indictment showed Iran's determination to commit acts of violence in Europe and the United States. RAF Fairford has long been utilized by the United States Air Force, which recently deployed B-1 and B-52 bombers from the installation for operations in the Middle East. Following the September incident, President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of all American bombers from the base, citing security threats.

Written by Martina Kirchner martina.kirchner@alpineweekly.com