British prosecutors on Tuesday charged two men under the U.K.’s National Security Act after an incident at RAF Fairford, a key base used by the U.S. military’s heavy bomber fleet.
Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, of London, faces a charge of assisting a foreign intelligence service. Nouman Essghir, also 24, was charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
British counterterrorism police believe the foreign country Abdulkarim allegedly assisted was Iran, Reuters reported.
FAIRFORD, ENGLAND – JULY 25: A B1 Bomber at RAF Fairford on July 25, 2026 in Fairford, England. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire a “legitimate target” after U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers used the British base to launch defensive bombing missions against Iranian military targets. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
The charges stem from an incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire in September. Police arrested five men outside the base during the early hours of Sept. 27, according to Reuters.
The facility had been used by U.S. bombers for strikes against Iran. Around a dozen B-1 bombers were later withdrawn from RAF Fairford and sent back to their U.S. home stations on security grounds, according to earlier Fox News reporting.
The main gate of RAF Fairford is pictured on September 27, 2026 in Fairford, United Kingdom. Police have declared a major incident after evacuating residents from their homes in Whelford, a village about one mile from RAF Fairford, a military base that hosts U.S. Air Force bombers involved in the Iran conflict. Several men have been arrested on suspicion of offences under the explosives act, and the Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team are examining a number of vehicles in the area. (David Bown/Getty Images)
RAF Fairford is an important European operating location for U.S. heavy bombers and has supported a range of American military missions.
Frank Ferguson, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said prosecutors authorized charges after a “complex” counterterrorism investigation.
Armed police maintain road blocks and security checks around RAF Fairford on September 28, 2026 in Fairford, England. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
“We will continue to work closely with our partners as this complex investigation continues,” Ferguson said.
The two men were scheduled to appear Tuesday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The Crown Prosecution Service stressed that the charges do not represent findings of guilt and that both defendants are entitled to a fair trial.
