U.S. prosecutors unsealed a new indictment on Nov. 10 charging three men with terrorism-related offenses tied to nearly 20 alleged attacks and attempted attacks in Europe and the United States. The filing also alleges a September plot involving RAF Fairford, a British air base that housed U.S. forces. The allegations have not been proven in court.

What the indictment alleges

The Justice Department identified the defendants as Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani. Prosecutors allege that they supported Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and took part in attacks or attempted attacks across Europe and the United States. The indictment is an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

In the Fairford account, the indictment alleges that al-Hassani directed people to take three vans toward the base in September. Prosecutors say some vans were later found to contain fuel barrels. The filing also alleges that al-Saadi, who was already in U.S. custody, used coded messages passed through others to communicate with co-defendants. These details come from the prosecution’s filing and have not been tested at trial.

How the U.S. case relates to the UK investigation

The new U.S. indictment adds federal charges and alleged links to a wider series of attacks to an incident already investigated by British police. The Associated Press reported that seven men arrested in the UK over the Fairford incident were released on bail, while two were later re-arrested and charged under Britain’s National Security Act. The separate investigations do not by themselves establish who directed the alleged activity or whether the Iranian government ordered it.

RAF Fairford has served as a base for U.S. aircraft during the Iran conflict. The Justice Department says the alleged September plot targeted the base while American forces were stationed there. The indictment’s claims are distinct from proof of an operational attack: the public filing describes alleged planning and conduct, and the defendants will have the opportunity to contest the charges in court.

What to watch next

The case will proceed through the U.S. federal courts. Further filings or hearings may clarify the evidence prosecutors intend to present and how the U.S. allegations relate to the UK proceedings. Until then, claims about the defendants’ roles and any state connection should remain attributed to the indictment and prosecutors.

Image: AI-generated editorial illustration of an airbase setting; it does not depict the alleged plot or an actual event.

Sources

Associated Press: US charges 3 men with plotting terror attacks, including planned assault on UK air base
U.S. Department of Justice: indictment announcement
Reuters report, published by Investing.com
Sky News: U.S. charges three men allegedly linked to RAF Fairford incident