US charges three men over alleged Iran-backed terror plots

The US Justice Department on Tuesday, November 10, unsealed an eight-count superseding indictment, charging Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi national; Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national; and Mohammad Ali Al Hassani, an Iraqi national, with terrorism-related offenses.Prosecutors allege the three men operated on behalf of an Iran-aligned network involving Kataib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both designated terrorist organizations by Washington. The indictment links the defendants to nearly 20 alleged terrorist attacks and attempted attacks, including a plot against RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, in September 2026, which housed American military aircraft and personnel.According to the indictment, Mr. Al Hassani orchestrated the plot against RAF Fairford, recruiting associates in Britain to conduct surveillance of the base and arrange logistics for an attempted attack. The British government has stated that Iran was responsible for this incident.FBI Director Kash Patel said the case demonstrates Iran’s determination to carry out attacks in Europe and the US. He noted that one of the subjects, already in custody, allegedly sent coded messages to assist in future acts of violence.US Attorney General Todd Blanche warned that anyone planning a terrorist plot on a military base housing American service members will be prosecuted by the United States government.The updated charges also connect the defendants to a campaign of attacks against Jewish communities in Europe during the spring of 2026. These included arson and explosives attacks, as well as a near-fatal stabbing in London that seriously injured two Jewish men, one a dual US-British citizen.Mr. Al Saadi was arrested abroad in May and transferred to US custody to face earlier terrorism charges related to planning 18 terrorist attacks in Europe and attempting to bomb a synagogue in New York. He is currently awaiting trial on those charges in New York but allegedly tried to coordinate with Mr. Al Hassani and Mr. Mohajeri in Iran from jail by passing coded messages through family members.British authorities had detained five men on September 27 at RAF Fairford airbase on suspicion of explosives and terrorism-related offenses, an incident that remained shrouded in mystery for over a month. After these arrests, the US evacuated its bombers stationed there. RAF Fairford, located 160 kilometers west of London, has been used by US bombers during decades of conflict in the Middle East.Iran has denied its involvement in these incidents.The identities of the five men arrested in Britain in connection with the attempted terrorist attack at RAF Fairford and a British-Iranian dual national have not been disclosed. Further details regarding how Mr. Al Saadi attempted to coordinate with Mr. Al Hassani and Mr. Mohajeri from jail via coded messages through family members are also unavailable. The specific dates and locations of the approximately 20 alleged attacks against Jewish communities in Europe have not been fully disclosed.