US charges 3 men in Iran-backed terror plot targeting UK airbase, Jewish sites
Synopsis
Three men — including one already jailed in New York — have been charged in a sweeping US indictment over an alleged IRGC-backed network that conducted 18 attacks across Europe, targeted Jewish communities, and nearly struck a British airbase housing American troops. The accused reportedly directed some operations live via video call, with one defendant allegedly issuing orders in code from behind bars.
Key Takeaways
The US Justice Department unsealed an eight-count superseding indictment on Tuesday, 11 November against three men over an alleged Iran-backed terror network .
The accused — Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi , Mohsen Mohajeri , and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani — allegedly supported the IRGC and Kata'ib Hizballah .
The network is linked to nearly 20 attacks , including 18 claimed in Europe during the spring, seven of them in Britain .
A thwarted attack on RAF Fairford on 26 September involved three disguised vans; British authorities arrested the occupants the following morning.
Attacks on Jewish communities included arson, explosives, and a near-fatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London .
Attorney General Todd Blanche warned that plots against military bases housing US personnel will be prosecuted.
US prosecutors on Tuesday unsealed an eight-count superseding indictment against three men accused of orchestrating an Iran-backed campaign of violence across Europe and plotting attacks inside the United States, including a thwarted assault on RAF Fairford — a British Royal Air Force base that housed American aircraft and service personnel at the time. The case marks one of the most detailed public exposures of an alleged Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-linked terror network operating on Western soil.
The Three Accused
The Justice Department named Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi citizen; Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national; and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, an Iraqi national. All three are accused of supporting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Kata'ib Hizballah, both designated foreign terrorist organisations under US law. Prosecutors linked the network to nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks across Europe.
Al-Saadi was already in federal custody in New York on earlier terrorism charges, having been arrested abroad in May and transferred to US custody. Despite being incarcerated, prosecutors alleged he continued to direct operations — purportedly using coded messages relayed through telephone conversations with relatives in Iraq. Mohajeri was reportedly in Iran at the time of the alleged plot, while al-Hassani is said to have coordinated the RAF Fairford operation from abroad with help from associates based in Britain.
The RAF Fairford Plot
Federal prosecutors allege that preparations for the attack on RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, began in August. Associates allegedly conducted surveillance of the airbase, obtained vans and fuel barrels, researched chemical accelerants, and acquired metal objects that could serve as shrapnel. The vans were reportedly fitted with markings mimicking fuel delivery and swimming pool supply businesses to avoid suspicion.
On 26 September, three vans set out towards RAF Fairford. At least two encountered a security roadblock and were unable to proceed along their intended route. British authorities recovered all three vans and arrested their occupants early the following morning. The timing is notable — RAF Fairford has historically hosted US strategic bomber deployments, making it a symbolically significant target for adversaries of American military power.
A Wider Campaign Against Jewish Communities in Europe
Beyond the airbase plot, the indictment outlines an alleged series of attacks on Jewish communities in Europe. The defendants are said to have operated through a group called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), described by prosecutors as a front for Iran-aligned terrorist organisations. HAYI claimed responsibility for 18 attacks in Europe during the spring, including seven in Britain. The incidents encompassed arson, explosive attacks, and a near-fatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London, one of whom held both British and American citizenship. Investigators further alleged that the defendants remotely directed some of these attacks, including through live video calls.
US Government Warning
Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a pointed warning following the unsealing of the charges. 'Anyone who plans a terrorist plot on a military base housing American service members will be prosecuted by the United States government,' Blanche said. The charges include conspiracies to provide material support to designated terrorist organisations, terrorism financing, and a conspiracy to bomb a public place.
Broader Context and What Comes Next
The case adds to a growing body of US federal prosecutions tied to alleged IRGC-directed operations on Western soil. This comes amid sustained tensions between Washington and Tehran, with US officials repeatedly accusing Iran of using proxy networks — including Kata'ib Hizballah — to project force beyond the Middle East. Critics argue that the indictment underscores the inadequacy of purely diplomatic channels in deterring state-sponsored terror financing.
The case is expected to proceed in US federal court. The status of Mohajeri and al-Hassani — whether they are in custody or remain at large — was not specified in the indictment details made public. The British suspects arrested near RAF Fairford face parallel proceedings in the United Kingdom.
Point of View
Stabbings, explosive attacks — to a single Iran-backed command structure, essentially arguing that HAYI is not a grassroots group but a managed proxy. What mainstream coverage may underplay is the operational detail: a jailed defendant allegedly running live-call operations from a New York federal facility points to a significant intelligence and prison-security failure. The RAF Fairford plot also signals a strategic escalation — if accurate, Iran's proxies have shifted from targeting soft civilian targets to probing NATO-linked military infrastructure. That is a qualitative step change, and one that will complicate any near-term diplomatic thaw between Washington and Tehran.
NationPress
11 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the three men charged in the US Iran-backed terror plot case?
The three men are Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi (a dual Iranian-Iraqi citizen), Mohsen Mohajeri (Iranian national), and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani (Iraqi national). All three are accused of supporting Iran's IRGC and Kata'ib Hizballah, both designated terrorist organisations under US law.
What was the plot against RAF Fairford?
Prosecutors allege that from August onwards, the network surveilled RAF Fairford in the UK, acquired vans disguised as commercial vehicles, researched chemical accelerants, and gathered materials that could be used as shrapnel. On 26 September, three vans moved towards the base but were stopped at a security roadblock; British authorities arrested the occupants the next morning.
What other attacks is the network accused of carrying out?
The indictment links the network to nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks across Europe. HAYI — described as a front for Iran-aligned groups — claimed responsibility for 18 of these during the spring, including seven in Britain. The incidents included arson, explosive attacks, and a near-fatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London.
How was Al-Saadi allegedly able to direct attacks from prison?
According to prosecutors, al-Saadi used telephone conversations with relatives in Iraq to relay coded messages to associates, even while held in federal custody in New York on earlier terrorism charges. He had been arrested abroad in May and transferred to US custody.
What charges do the three men face?
The charges include conspiracies to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organisations, terrorism financing, and conspiracy to bomb a public place. Attorney General Todd Blanche warned that anyone plotting against military installations housing American personnel would face federal prosecution.
