Two men charged under UK’s National Security Act over RAF Fairford incident

Two men have been charged by British authorities under the UK’s National Security Act over an incident at the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire in September 2026.

The investigation was launched after five men were arrested near to RAF Fairford, following reports of suspicious vehicles on September 27, 2026.

On October 27, 2026, Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed that Nouman Essghir, 24, a British national from London, was charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK, for suspected activity on August 22, 2026.

Essghir was first arrested at the incident scene in Gloucestershire on September 27, 2026, and re-arrested on October 20, 2026.

A second man, described by police as a 25-year-old dual UK/Iranian national, was also re-arrested on October 20, 2026, and has been released without charge. He remains on police bail following his first arrest on October 1, 2026.

In its statement on October 27, 2026, terrorism police said that following the re-arrest of these individuals, detectives also interviewed a further man under caution.

As a result, Mohammed Abdul Karim, a 24-year-old British national, also from London, has been charged under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023, which makes it an offence to assist a foreign intelligence service.

“In this case, we believe that country to be Iran,” Head of UK National Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, said.

Five other men arrested in connection with the RAF Fairford investigation, remain on police bail.

“We have seen a range of incidents in recent months that we believe have been directed by the Iranian state, and as the Director General of Mi5 said just the other week, we are working together to intervene, identify and respond to that threat,” Assistant Commissioner Taylor added.

Essghir and Karim will both appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on October 27, 2026.

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