RAF Fairford organiser ‘orchestrated terror plot on Facetime’

Résumé détaillé

One Iran-backed militant helped plot the attack on UK's Fairford base from jail in the US, the Justice Department says

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.

The man suspected of organising a terror plot on RAF Fairford directed his plot on FaceTime, according to US prosecutors.

According to the US Department of Justice (DoJ), the accused plotters Mohammad Ali Hassani and Mohsen Mohajeri received “information and directives” from Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi on how to attack the British airbase, which also holds US aircrafts and service members.

Prosecutors also alleged that Mr Hassani, 35, was the man who “orchestrated” the plot as well as someone who “directed and paid associates” in Britain ahead of it.

He is now facing six charges over terror-related offences, not just for RAF Fairford, but for also allegedly using FaceTime to direct another attack in the UK in April.

“These defendants helped orchestrate a campaign of terror on behalf of terrorist organizations affiliated with Iran that targeted Jewish communities in Europe and the United States, and the British military base, RAF Fairford, housing American service members,” U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald said in a news release.

"The threat presented by Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups to America and our allies is not hypothetical — it is very real.”

Attorney General Todd Blanche said: “Anyone who plans a terrorist plot on a military base housing American servicemembers will be prosecuted by the United States government.”

Hassani is accused of also being involved in planning an attack in April, as he allegedly directed potential perpetrators to take a lighter and “light one in your hand”, and “light it” and “throw the fourth one” over a FaceTime call which was projected on to a large screen.

Début de l'article, extrait de The Independent. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.