US charges three men over planned attacks linked to RAF Fairford, Digi Mart USA News: Three men have been charged in the United States with involvement in or assistance with 18 attacks and attempted attacks in Europe and the United States, according to a publisher report by Geopolitika. US authorities link the case to an incident at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom in September.
The U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday that the charges target Iranian national Mohsen Mohajeri, Iraqi national Mohammad Ali al-Hassani and Iranian-Iraqi dual citizen Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, according to a BBC report cited in the article.
Prosecutors allege the men acted on behalf of the Iran-backed group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, known as HAYI.
Iran rejects the accusations and has called the link to the RAF Fairford incident baseless and malicious speculation. The case covers attacks and attempted attacks including in London, Amsterdam and Paris.
Prosecutors say several of the actions were directed over video calls.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the charges show what he described as Iran’s willingness to carry out terrorist attacks in Europe and the United States. He also claimed that one of the accused sent coded messages from custody to assist future acts of violence.
The most serious element of the charges concerns RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a British air base used by the US armed forces. A serious incident was declared on September 27 after suspicious vans were seen near the base.
No explosives were found in the vans, but police seized a quantity of petrol. Seven men have been arrested in the United Kingdom in connection with the incident.
The Justice Department alleges that al-Hassani led and paid people in the United Kingdom from August to prepare the attack. The alleged preparations included surveillance of the base’s outer perimeter, acquisition of vans and fuel drums, research into chemical accelerants and purchase of metal objects that could be used as shrapnel.
According to the department, al-Hassani instructed people on September 26 to drive three vans toward RAF Fairford. At least two of the vans were stopped at a security checkpoint and were unable to continue along the planned route.
Prosecutors also link the three men to arson attacks on Jewish institutions in London, the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, and attacks on bank buildings in Amsterdam and Paris. They also allegedly attempted to target Jewish institutions in the United States.
Al-Saadi is in custody in New York awaiting trial in a separate case and, according to the charges, coordinated with the other two through intermediaries. Mohajeri and al-Hassani are not in US custody, according to sources CBS News spoke with.
