US Charges Three With 18 Attacks Under New Group HAYI
Prosecutors link the alleged operatives to the September incident at RAF Fairford, where vans were found near the base.
By Nadia Rahman ·
The US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment on Tuesday charging three men with plotting attacks across the United States and Europe. The charges connect the defendants to a security incident at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a base hosting US forces. Iran has denied involvement in the events at the airbase.
The indictment names Mohsen Mohajeri, Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, and Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi. Prosecutors accuse al-Saadi of coordinating with British contacts while incarcerated in New York. The other two defendants allegedly communicated with associates in Britain from Iran. The document lists eight counts of charges against the trio.
Officials state the three men planned operations under the name Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, known as HAYI. This purportedly new group claimed responsibility for 18 attacks in Europe during spring 2026. Seven of those incidents occurred in Britain. The actions included arson, explosions, and the stabbing of two Jewish men in London’s Golders Green in April.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the indictment covers nearly 20 attempted attacks. He stated the plots supported the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the militia Kataib Hezbollah. Patel alleged that one accused used coded messages sent from prison to facilitate future violence. One victim of the Golders Green stabbing holds dual US-British citizenship.
The case involving RAF Fairford alleges preparations began in August 2026. Al-Hassani allegedly paid associates to survey the base perimeter on 22 August. In September, he reportedly funded the purchase of vans, fuel barrels, and chemical accelerants like potassium chloride. He also allegedly bought metal objects intended to serve as shrapnel.
The vans were dressed to look like fuel delivery or pool supply vehicles. Al-Hassani allegedly instructed drivers to move three of the vehicles toward the base on 26 September. He maintained frequent contact with the drivers during the operation. At least two vans hit a security roadblock that stopped their progress.
A local farmer discovered the vehicles in the early hours of 27 September and called police. Authorities declared a major incident near the Cotswolds airbase. Petrol was seized from the vans, though no explosives were found. Seven men have been arrested in Britain, and two British nationals appeared in court in October. The US Air Force operates from Fairford, where B-1 and B-52 bombers recently deployed to the Middle East.
