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The U.S. Department of Justice announced on the 10th that it has indicted three male Iranian-backed operatives on eight counts for conspiring to carry out a series of terrorist plots in the United States and Europe. According to the ministry, the three men were also involved in a serious incident that occurred near Britain's Fairford Air Force Base, where U.S. forces are stationed, in September of this year.
Two of the defendants were in Iran at the time of the incident and relied on connections in the UK. The other man is said to have been in contact with the two men through a third party from a prison in New York, where he is being held on trial for another terrorism charge, and was attempting to act in coordination with them.
Iran strongly denies any involvement in the Fairford Air Base incident. Two people have so far been charged in the UK over the incident.
The U.S. Department of Justice indicted three people on the 10th: Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national, Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, an Iraqi national, and Mohammad Bagher Sa'ad Daoud al-Saadi, who holds dual Iranian and Iraqi citizenship.
According to the Justice Department, the defendants were involved in about 20 attempted attacks in support of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian-backed Iraqi militant group Kataib Hezbollah. Both organizations are designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) in the United States.
The three men are said to have planned attacks in Europe under the name of a new group, the Right Hand People's Islamic Movement (HAYI). The Justice Department says HAYI is a front organization for FTO, which includes Kataib Hezbollah.
"Of the 18 terrorist attacks in Europe claimed by HAYI in spring 2026, seven occurred in the United Kingdom," the ministry said in a statement. It added that these attacks "included arson, explosives and stabbings in London that left two Jewish men, including a dual American and British citizen, with fatal injuries."
In April this year, two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, north London. Police have arrested a British national on suspicion of attempted murder, and a trial is expected to be held next year.
"These eight indictments demonstrate Iran's determination to carry out terrorist attacks in Europe and the United States," said FBI Director Kash Patel.
Patel also revealed that one of the three defendants was "suspected of sending coded messages in support of future acts of violence" while in custody.
The incident at Fairford Air Force Base occurred on September 27th. A serious situation has been declared after three suspicious vans were spotted near an air base operated by the US military.
No explosives were found in the van, but police seized gasoline.
The U.S. Department of Justice said al-Hassani in August "directed and paid operatives" in Britain to perform preparatory work and arrange logistics for a terrorist plot at Fairford Air Force Base.
The department said he paid one person on Aug. 22 to "conduct pre-operation surveillance around the Fairford base," and paid others in September to help prepare the plot.
Preparations included "procuring vans and drums of fuel, investigating the purchase of chemical accelerants containing large amounts of potassium chloride, and purchasing metal fragments to be mixed into explosives," the Justice Department said.
British operatives were then instructed by al-Hassani to make the van appear to be used by a fuel delivery company and a swimming pool supply company.
"Al-Hassani allegedly directed individuals to drive three vans to Fairford Air Force Base on September 26, some of which were later found to contain drums of fuel," the U.S. Department of Justice said.
The Justice Department also said al-Hassani was in "frequent contact" with the van's driver and instructed him on the driving route.
"At least two of the three vans encountered security checks en route to the vicinity of Fairford Air Force Base and were not allowed to continue on their intended routes," the Department of Justice said in a statement.
Iran's embassy in the UK said it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" "baseless and malicious speculation" linking the incident to Iran.
The base has been used as a forward operating base for the United States Air Force (USAF) for decades.
The United States has previously sent B-1 and B-52 bombers to the Middle East from this base. The United States asked Britain for permission to use the base for defensive strikes against Iran, which Britain granted.
However, after the latest incident near the same base, all bombers were withdrawn to American soil.
US President Donald Trump said he moved the bombers because there were "some threats" to the base, but did not provide specifics.
Iran said in July that "any base used to invade Iranian territory is a legitimate target for our armed forces."
(English article Three Iran-backed suspects plotted attacks including RAF Fairford incident, US says)
