RAF Fairford: US charges suspected Iranian aid worker after attempted attack

The Fairford case caused a lot of excitement a few weeks ago - including a hasty withdrawal of US bombers from the British air base (more here). It is now known that the US Department of Justice has charged three men allegedly supported by Iran for their alleged involvement in terrorist attacks on Jewish communities in Europe and the USA, among others.

In total, they are accused of participating in almost 20 attacks and attempted attacks (including in Fairford), as the ministry announced. In doing so, they tried to support the Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah, which is allied with Iran, and the Revolutionary Guards in Iran.

They are said to have helped in the background to carry out arson and use explosive devices. In one case, two men of Jewish faith were almost killed in a knife attack in London, the US Department of Justice said. Many cases from the past few months have been outlined.

Accused of involvement from abroad

The three men are also said to have been involved in the foiled attack plan on the British air base RAF Fairford, where US forces are stationed. The three men are said to have been abroad at the time, not in Great Britain. According to the US Department of Justice, they are said to have communicated with contact persons when planning the attack.

At the end of September, several men were arrested near the military base. They were suspected of preparing a terrorist act. The case also received attention because the Pentagon subsequently withdrew all long-range bombers from the base. US President Donald Trump spoke of threats without giving further details.

The accused are therefore an Iranian and an Iraqi citizen as well as a man with Iranian-Iraqi dual citizenship. There had also already been charges in Great Britain (more on that here).

Around a dozen US B1 bombers were stationed at Fairford Air Base. They were withdrawn, probably out of fear of an Iranian attack. How safe are America's bases in Europe?