Three Men Charged for Plotting Terror Attacks Against Jewish Communities and UK Airbase

US prosecutors unsealed an indictment in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday charging three men with orchestrating a sprawling campaign of terror on behalf of Iran-aligned groups.

The charges allege the trio planned nearly 20 attacks targeting Jewish communities in the United States and Europe, alongside a plot to strike the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford airbase in the United Kingdom.

The indictment identifies the defendants as an Iranian-Iraqi dual national, an Iranian national, and an Iraqi national. Of the three, only the dual national—described by prosecutors as a commander for the Iran-aligned group Kata’ib Hizballah—is currently in US custody.

US Attorney Jamie McDonald stated, “These defendants helped orchestrate a campaign of terror on behalf of terrorist organizations affiliated with Iran.” According to the filings, the network aimed to carry out retaliatory strikes linked to conflicts involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

Prosecutors allege the imprisoned dual national, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of plotting at least 18 attacks, utilized coded messages to relatives from jail to facilitate payments for operatives.

The charges further assert that the defendants maintained connections with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Kata’ib Hizballah, both of which are designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the United States.

The RAF Fairford base, which has been utilized by the US for operations against Iran, became the focal point of a security alert in late September. British authorities responded to reports of suspicious vehicles near the compound, leading to the evacuation of local homes and the deployment of a bomb disposal unit. Five individuals were arrested in connection with that event.

Prosecutors allege that the defendant held in the US jail continued to coordinate with his co-defendants in the days leading up to the Fairford incident. Following the security breach, the US withdrew its bombers from the site.

While the US government has moved forward with these indictments, Tehran has denied involvement in the alleged plots. It remains unclear how the remaining two defendants will be apprehended, as they currently remain at large.