An Iranian handler just directed a UK plot against RAF Fairford and the Israeli embassy

Two British men have just appeared in court over an alleged Iranian plot to target RAF Fairford.

That's the US airbase in Gloucestershire.

Mohmed Abdulkarim is 24. Nouman Essghir is 24. They were in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court about a day ago.

Neither has entered a plea. Nothing has been proven.

So what are they accused of?

Abdulkarim is charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service, believed to be Iran. That's under the National Security Act 2023.

Essghir is charged with entering a prohibited place for a reason said to work against the UK. The prohibited place is RAF Fairford.

Prosecutors say Abdulkarim is a British Iranian dual national. Essghir is a British citizen. Both live in Westminster, London.

Now here's who prosecutors say was behind it.

A handler known only as Ali. Prosecutors say Ali was working on behalf of Iran.

They say Abdulkarim was his intermediary. He bought equipment for Ali. He received payments from him. About £70,000 in total.

Essghir's charge is about filming. Prosecutors say he filmed the perimeter of RAF Fairford about two months ago, at Ali's request.

So what happened at the base?

Prosecutors say that about a month ago, five men were ordered to drive vans loaded with petrol to RAF Fairford. Then told by phone to park them and walk away.

But one of those men called the police. In the early hours. After he was warned there was a bomb inside.

Louise Gray, the prosecutor, told the court quote "the message was received that there was a bomb in the vehicles".

That's a prosecutor describing the moment the whole plan fell apart.

Police searched the vans. No explosives. Just a metal oil drum in each one, two of them holding petrol, plus plastic water butts and dashcams that connect to the internet.

And here's the detail that widens this case.

Prosecutors say Ali is potentially connected to an incident at the Israeli embassy earlier this year. Propaganda videos online said it had been attacked with a chemical weapon by a drone.