Two men, Nouman Essghir, 24, and Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, have been charged with offenses under the National Security Act following an incident at RAF Fairford on September 27. Abdulkarim, of London, is charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service, while Essghir, also of London, is charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK. Police were alerted to three suspicious vehicles near the US airbase, prompting a major incident and the evacuation of dozens of homes.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) stated it is prosecuting the two individuals following a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation. Frank Ferguson, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said the CPS will continue to work closely with partners as the investigation continues. Five other men arrested during the investigation remain on police bail.
Counter Terrorism Policing has stated it is “highly likely that there is Iranian state involvement” in the incident. The men are scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. This follows the re-arrest of two men a week prior in connection with the incident.
Our reading is that the charges brought against Essghir and Abdulkarim represent an escalation in the investigation into the RAF Fairford incident. While initial arrests focused on potential explosive offenses, the current charges, assisting a foreign intelligence service and entering a prohibited place with prejudicial intent, suggest authorities believe the incident was a more deliberate act of espionage or preparation for a larger operation. The continued focus on potential Iranian state involvement, as repeatedly stated by Counter Terrorism Policing, reinforces the idea that this is being treated as a serious national security matter.
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