Iran just directed a bomb plot on a British air base from a US jail cell
2 days ago · 11 November 2026Share
Deputy Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist prepares to depart RAF Fairford, England in October 2020, showing the air base where bombers and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft operate in support of U.S. European Command. File photo. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jennifer Zima · Public domain
The US just charged a jailed Iranian commander with directing a bomb plot on a British air base.
And he was allegedly running it from inside a New York jail cell.
So here's what happened. A few hours ago, a Manhattan court unsealed an eight-count indictment. It names three men.
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi. He's a dual Iranian-Iraqi national tied to Kataib Hezbollah. Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national. Mohammad Ali Al-Hassani, an Iraqi national.
Only one of them is actually in US custody. That's Al-Saadi.
And here's the twist. He's already locked up in New York, facing earlier terrorism charges over an alleged plot against a Manhattan synagogue. He was arrested abroad in May this year.
Prosecutors say that from his cell, he directed and paid UK-based associates to plan an attack on RAF Fairford. That's a British air base used by American forces, in Gloucestershire, about 160 kilometres west of London.
How did he direct it from jail? Coded messages. Sent through family members.
On 24 September, prosecutors say Al-Saadi told his family to says quote "give him money so we can do it" — talking about the attack.
Two days later, on 26 September, Al-Hassani allegedly directed three people to drive vans full of fuel toward the base. He'd already organised surveillance of it and arranged the vans himself. Associates were allegedly paid to buy metal for shrapnel and to research chemical accelerants.
But it never reached the base.
Two of the three vans hit security checkpoints and couldn't get through. British authorities recovered the vehicles and arrested the drivers.
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Royal Air Force Air Commodore Tom Walker, Deputy Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group, speaks during a tour of the air traffic control tower at RAF Fairford, England on November 4, 2026, providing an overview of airfield operations and coordination between U.S. and British personnel. File photo. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Adam Enbal · Public domain
So what happened to the base after that? The US pulled its B-1 bombers out within weeks. And just days ago, it moved refuelling tankers out of a second UK base, RAF Mildenhall, over a separate reported Iran threat, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The three men now face charges including conspiracy to provide material support to Kataib Hezbollah and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, and conspiring to bomb a place of public use.
And it doesn't stop at one base.
Prosecutors are tying this same network to nearly 20 attacks or attempted attacks across Europe and Canada since the war between the US, Israel and Iran began. That includes arson attacks and the near-fatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London.
Todd Blanche, the US Attorney General, says anyone who plans a terrorist plot on a base housing American troops will be prosecuted.
Kash Patel, the FBI Director, says the case shows Iran's determination to carry out attacks in Europe and the US. He says one defendant is behind bars awaiting trial, and still sent coded messages to help plan future violence.
And this isn't the first time a government has pointed at Iran over this.
Back in October, Andy Burnham, the UK Prime Minister, said the plot was almost certainly coordinated by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Iran's embassy in London rejected that, calling the claims false and ridiculous. Iran has not commented on today's indictment.
UK prosecutors have separately charged two British men, Mohmed Abdulkarim and Nouman Essghir, under the National Security Act over the same incident.
So where does that leave things?
Mohajeri and Al-Hassani are not in American custody. Nobody knows where they are, or whether they'll ever face this indictment in person.
For now, only Al-Saadi, already behind bars in New York, is in a position to stand trial.
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