Key points
- The Crown Prosecution Service has charged two 24-year-old men over a September incident at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
- Mohmed Abdulkarim, a British-Iranian dual national, is alleged to have assisted Iran's intelligence service.
- Nouman Essghir, a British citizen, is alleged to have entered a prohibited location for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom.
- Both men were due to appear in court on Tuesday 27 October; the allegations have not been proven in court.
Prosecutors in the United Kingdom have charged two men under the National Security Act over an incident at RAF Fairford, a base in Gloucestershire used by the United States. The Crown Prosecution Service announced the charges on Tuesday 27 October 2026.
Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, a British-Iranian dual national, is alleged to have assisted the intelligence service of Iran. Nouman Essghir, 24, a British citizen, is alleged to have entered a prohibited location for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom. Both men were due to appear in court on Tuesday. Read more: Mass protests sweep France as 410,000 march over living costs and school conditions
The key figures
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Men charged | 2 | Crown Prosecution Service |
| Age of each defendant | 24 | Crown Prosecution Service |
| Incident | September 2026, RAF Fairford | Prosecutors |
| Court appearance due | 27 October 2026 | Prosecutors |
The charges
The two charges are different in kind, and it matters to keep them separate. The allegation against Abdulkarim is that he assisted a foreign intelligence service, that of Iran. The allegation against Essghir is that he entered a prohibited location, the airbase, for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom. Prosecutors allege these things; neither allegation has been proven in court, and both men are entitled to be treated as innocent unless and until a court finds otherwise.
The base
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire that is used by the United States Air Force. American bombers based there have been used in operations against Iran this year, which is why a case involving alleged assistance to Iran's intelligence service, connected to this base, has drawn attention. Prosecutors have not published full details of what is alleged to have happened at the base in September, and this article does not fill that gap with speculation.
What happens next
The case will now go through the courts, where the prosecution must prove its allegations and the defence will have its say. Europe Unfolded will report what the court hears.
Updates & corrections
Published 27 October 2026.
No updates or corrections have been made to this article since publication.
Sources
- Reuters, 27 October 2026, on the charges and the court appearance: reuters.com
- DNTWOK, 27 October 2026, on the charges over the incident at the United States-used base: dntwok.com