Context:

A U.S. federal indictment accuses three men of working on Iran-aligned terrorist plots targeting Jewish communities in Europe and the United States, including an attempted strike on RAF Fairford in the U.K. and a broader campaign coordinated from inside and outside prison. The case ties the suspects to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Kata’ib Hizballah, with one man directing the effort while imprisoned and others handling surveillance, logistics, and messaging. The defendants allegedly arranged vans, fuel, and explosive components, and created deceptive decals to disguise the operations. The investigation highlights ongoing threats from Iran-backed networks and signals potential further prosecutions. A forward path involves prosecuting all co-conspirators and pursuing additional charges related to the broader network.

Dive Deeper:

• Three men—Mohammad Al-Saadi (dual Iranian-Iraqi), Mohsen Mohajeri (Iranian), and Mohammad Ali Al-Hassani (Iraqi)—face a superseding indictment in New York, with Al-Saadi in U.S. custody and the other two not detained in the United States.

• Al-Saadi allegedly helped direct the RAF Fairford plot while confined in a U.S. prison, coordinating via video and phone calls with family members in Iraq who relayed coded messages to co-defendants.

• The indictment describes a plan to attack RAF Fairford, a base housing U.S. bombers and troops, and to conduct a broader networked campaign against Jewish communities in Europe and the U.S.

• Investigators say Al-Hassani financed surveillance of the base, arranged for vans, fuel, and chemical accelerants, and even purchased shrapnel-like metals, while decoys were created to resemble legitimate fuel and swimming-pool supply vehicles.

• Al-Saadi’s communications in July—referencing “old work”—were cited as evidence of ongoing activity, and the suspects allegedly used a UK-based network to mobilize operations on behalf of Iran-aligned groups, including the IRGC and Kata’ib Hizballah.

• In June, Al-Saadi pleaded not guilty to separate charges claiming involvement in at least 18 attacks in Europe as retaliation for U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran.

• The case underscores the perceived threat posed by Iran and its allied groups to American and allied interests, with authorities stressing that such dangers are real and ongoing.