Two charged with UK security offenses over airbase plot
UK anti-terrorism police said on Tuesday, October 27, that two men have been charged with national security offenses after an incident last month at a British airbase used by the United States, linking the scare to Iran. The head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said two British men aged 24 have been charged: one with assisting a foreign intelligence service, believed to be in Iran, and another with entering a prohibited place for a purpose "prejudicial" to the United Kingdom.
This is the first time anyone has been charged over the incident, after police arrested seven suspects in the days afterward and released them on bail. Police were called to the Royal Air Force's Fairford base in southwest England in the early hours of September 27 after a local farmer reported a group of men with several white vans engaged in "suspicious" activity. Only days later, the United States abruptly withdrew all its B-1 bombers from the base.
A week ago, police said they had re-arrested two suspects, one of whom has now been charged. Police charged 24-year-old Nouman Essghir with entering or approaching a "prohibited place" for a purpose "prejudicial" to the interests of the UK. Police arrested Essghir at the scene in Gloucestershire and then released him on bail, before re-arresting him a week ago. The police chief said the charge against Essghir related to "suspected activity" more than a month earlier, on Saturday 22 August, without giving any details.
Police said the second man charged, 24-year-old Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim, was arrested after being interviewed under caution over the last week. Police said he has been charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service. "In this case, we believe that country to be Iran," the police service said. Both of the charged men live in Westminster, a district in London. Six other men remain on bail, all living in London, and aged between 23 and 25.
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The article gives only the police view that Iran is involved and never reports that Iran has denied involvement.
How we know
- Deutsche Welle (English) reported“Iran has denied involvement”Two men charged over incident near British airbase used for US strikes on Iran (opens in a new tab)
One of these is a dual British and Iranian national. Le Monde with AFP
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The article reports that one of the men still on bail is a dual British and Iranian national, straight after the police link to Iran. It never says that he was released without charge over the suspected Iran intelligence offence. Without that, a reader may assume he remains suspected of aiding Iran.
How we know
- The Jewish Chronicle reported“A 25-year-old dual UK/Iranian national, who was also arrested on October 20 on suspicion of aiding Iran’s intelligence service, has been released without charge”Two UK nationals charged over RAF Fairford ‘plot to aid Iran’ (opens in a new tab)
- Deutsche Welle (English) reported“was released without charge over the suspected intelligence offense”Two men charged over incident near British airbase used for US strikes on Iran (opens in a new tab)