Two charged over alleged plot to assist Iran in RAF Fairford incident

Two British nationals have been charged with national security offences over the incident at RAF Fairford in September, with one suspected of assisting Iran's intelligence service.

Nouman Essghir, also 24, has been charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK a month earlier on 22 August. Both men will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

No explosive materials were found in the vans by police but a quantity of petrol was seized. A huge cordon was put up around the base for several days afterwards.

Head of counter-terror police, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, said Essghir, a British national from Westminster, had been charged under Section 4 of the National Security Act 2023.

A 25-year-old UK-Iranian national who was also re-arrested on that date on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service has now been released without charge. He remains on police bail after his initial arrest on 1 October on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts.

Eight men have been arrested as part of the counter-terror police investigation. This includes five British nationals from London who were arrested near the airbase in September on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act before they were further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. Six men remain on police bail.

Iran has previously denied any involvement in the incident at RAF Fairford.

In recent months, the US has flown B-1 and B-52 bombers from the base to the Middle East, after the UK approved a request for it to be used for defensive strikes against Iran.

US President Donald Trump said the aircraft were removed due to "some threats" to the base, without giving specific details.