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The US Department of Justice announced charges against Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani for conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Kata’ib Hezbollah along with related terrorism offenses. The superseding indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court accuses the three of orchestrating attacks under the name Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya or HAYI. Only al-Saadi a dual Iranian-Iraqi national is in custody in New York where he faces prior terrorism charges while the other two remain at large according to the department.
Prosecutors allege that al-Hassani an Iraqi national directed surveillance of RAF Fairford in August before overseeing the procurement of vans barrels of fuel chemical accelerants including potassium chloride and metal objects intended as shrapnel in September. Associates disguised the vehicles to resemble fuel delivery and swimming pool supply trucks before driving them toward the Gloucestershire base on September 26 where at least two encountered a security roadblock. British police described the activity as suspicious leading to arrests the next day and the subsequent withdrawal of US B-1 bombers from the site Reuters reported.
Al-Saadi who was transferred to US custody in May after his arrest abroad allegedly used coded messages relayed through family calls from his Brooklyn jail to coordinate with Mohajeri in Iran and al-Hassani. In one September 24 conversation he inquired about al-Hassani using a nickname and instructed relatives to provide money so the operation could proceed the Justice Department stated in its filing. His lawyers have described the prosecution’s interpretation of those calls as speculative arguing in an October court document that the discussions had banal explanations.
The charges encompass a broader campaign of almost 20 plots and attempted attacks against Jewish communities in Europe and the United States that occurred mainly in March and April. The indictment links the activity to an Iran-aligned network that employed the HAYI pseudonym to assert responsibility for its operations. UK counter-terrorism officials had earlier charged two British men under the National Security Act in connection with vehicle purchases and perimeter filming at the base The Guardian reported citing court testimony that identified an overseas handler known as Ali as directing the effort on behalf of Iranian intelligence.
British authorities assessed the Fairford incident as highly likely coordinated from Iran a conclusion echoed by Prime Minister Andy Burnham in October. MI5 director general Ken McCallum stated earlier this month that the security service has contributed to more than 50 criminal charges in Iran-linked cases over the past year. The pattern reflects sustained concerns over Tehran-sponsored threats targeting military installations and diaspora communities amid ongoing regional conflicts according to assessments shared with AFP.
US Attorney Jamie McDonald said the defendants helped orchestrate a campaign of terror on behalf of terrorist organizations affiliated with Iran that targeted Jewish communities in Europe and the United States and the British military base RAF Fairford housing American service members. Attorney General Todd Blanche added that anyone who plans a terrorist plot on a military base housing American service members will be prosecuted by the United States government. The developments come as the US and UK continue to cooperate on disrupting such networks with the latest indictment building on earlier UK arrests tied to the same incident.
