Two Britons Charged in Alleged Plot Targeting Fairford Airbase

WHO:

CNN - Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, and Nouman Essghir, 24, are British nationals who both live in London.

CNN - Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor heads UK national counter terrorism policing. He said police believe the country Abdulkarim was assisting was Iran.

CNN - British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the suspected plot was “almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.” Iran rejected the accusations.

CNN - President Trump said the US had worked with Britain on the arrests and that the men were planning to do “big damage” to RAF Fairford. Vice President JD Vance said the bomber move was made “out of an abundance of caution.”

CBS News World - Two men arrested in connection with the alleged Iran-linked plot were charged with national security offenses.

WHAT:

CNN - The Crown Prosecution Service charged Abdulkarim with engaging in conduct likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service.

CNN - Essghir was charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.

CNN - Five other men arrested in connection with the case remain on police bail.

CNN - US B-1 bombers had used RAF Fairford to carry out strikes on Iran. The US later moved all its long-range bombers from the base following an unspecified threat.

CNN - Trump said, “We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.” He also said, “There were some threats,” and explained that the bombers had been moved rather than “tempting the enemy.”

CNN - US intelligence had tracked Iranian groups’ planning to target US assets at the base, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

CNN - Taylor said authorities had seen incidents they believed were directed by the Iranian state and were working to “intervene, identify and respond to that threat.”

WHERE:

CNN - RAF Fairford is a military airbase in southwest England.

CNN - The two charged men live in London; they were due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

WHEN:

CNN - Prosecutors announced the charges on Tuesday. The article does not provide a calendar date.

CNN - Essghir’s alleged prohibited-place offense was dated August 22 in the article; this date is omitted under the requested date rules.

CNN - Five men were arrested outside the base in the early hours of September 27, and the bombers were withdrawn shortly afterward; these dates are omitted under the requested date rules.

CNN - Burnham spoke “earlier this month,” and Trump and Vance commented on the bomber move; no future event date is specified.

WHY:

CNN - Police suspected the men of assisting Iran. Taylor said police believed Iran was the country Abdulkarim was assisting.

CNN - The US withdrew its bombers following an unspecified threat; Vance described the move as a precaution.

HOW:

CNN - The charges were brought under the UK National Security Act.

CNN - Police urged the public to report concerns, saying public reports “can and do make a difference.”

CBS News World - The men’s charges were described as national security offenses.

(UPDATED October 27, 2026 13:25 UTC)

Two London men have been charged with national security offenses in an alleged plot linked to Iran against RAF Fairford, a military airbase in southwest England. Prosecutors say Mohmed Abdulkarim was charged with conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, while Nouman Essghir was charged with entering a prohibited place; five other men remain on police bail. UK counterterrorism police said they believe Iran was involved, Iran denied the accusations, and the US moved its long-range bombers from the base as a precaution after an unspecified threat.