UK charges 2 men in suspected Iran-linked incident at RAF Fairford after US bombers pulled
British prosecutors charged two men Tuesday under the UK's National Security Act following an incident at RAF Fairford, a key base used by the US military's heavy bombers.
Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, of London, was charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service, while Nouman Essghir, 24, was charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
British counterterrorism police believe the foreign country Abdulkarim was assisting was Iran, Reuters reported. The charges follow a September incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England.
British police arrested five men outside the base in the early hours of Sept. 27. The base had been used by US bombers to carry out strikes against Iran.
Base Withdrawal
About a dozen B-1 bombers were among the aircraft later withdrawn from RAF Fairford and returned to their home stations in the United States on security grounds, according to previous Fox News reporting.
RAF Fairford serves as a key European operating location for US heavy bombers and has supported American military missions. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had declared the base a "legitimate target" after US bombers used it for missions against Iranian military targets.
Investigation Continues
Frank Ferguson, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said the agency decided to prosecute the two men following a "complex" counterterrorism investigation.
We will continue to work closely with our partners as this complex investigation continues.
Both men were expected to appear Tuesday at Westminster Magistrates' Court. The CPS emphasized that the charges are not findings of guilt and that both defendants have the right to a fair trial.
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