US prosecutors have charged three men over their alleged involvement in nearly 20 terrorist attacks and attempted attacks across the United States and Europe. The charges include allegations of targeting Jewish communities and planning an attack on RAF Fairford, a British Royal Air Force base that housed American military personnel and aircraft.
The United States Department of Justice announced the charges on November 10, 2026, following the unsealing of an eight-count superseding indictment. The defendants have been identified as Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi national; Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national; and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, an Iraqi national.
According to the indictment, the three men allegedly supported two organisations identified by the US government as foreign terrorist organisations: Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Prosecutors allege that the defendants worked with an Iran-aligned network involved in organising attacks in several European countries and the United States.
The indictment states that the alleged attacks were carried out under the name Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, also known as HAYI. Prosecutors describe the group as a front for Kata’ib Hizballah and other organisations. Of the 18 attacks in Europe claimed by HAYI during the spring of 2026, seven reportedly took place in the United Kingdom.
The alleged incidents involved arson, explosives and other violent acts. One of the cases involved a near-fatal stabbing in London in which two Jewish men were attacked. Prosecutors claim that the three defendants were personally involved in planning several of these incidents and that some of them helped produce and distribute propaganda videos connected to the attacks.
Alleged planning of attacks in London
According to the US indictment, Mohajeri and al-Hassani allegedly met in Iraq in April to discuss attacks in London. Prosecutors said a video of the meeting showed a map of London displayed on a computer screen. During the discussion, al-Hassani allegedly told Mohajeri that they needed to focus on the British capital.
The indictment further alleges that the men communicated with individuals involved in carrying out attacks. In one incident on April 17, the defendants allegedly directed an individual during an attack through a video call. Prosecutors claim that the men watched the incident as it happened and that al-Hassani gave instructions to the person carrying it out.
Another alleged incident involved an attack on a synagogue in London on April 18. According to the indictment, al-Hassani participated in a video call with an individual involved in the incident and allegedly gave instructions during the attack. These claims form part of the prosecution's case and have not yet been established in court.
Suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford
One of the major allegations in the indictment concerns a suspected attack on RAF Fairford in southwestern England. The base has been used by the United States military and housed American aircraft and personnel.
Prosecutors allege that al-Hassani began arranging preparations for the suspected attack in August 2026. He allegedly paid an individual to conduct surveillance around the base and send videos of its surrounding areas.
The indictment further claims that associates were instructed to arrange vehicles, fuel containers and other materials. Three vans were allegedly prepared with customised markings designed to make them appear to belong to businesses involved in fuel delivery and swimming pool supplies.
According to prosecutors, the preparations included researching chemical accelerants and obtaining materials that could potentially be used in an attack. On September 26, al-Hassani allegedly instructed individuals to drive the three vans towards RAF Fairford. Some of the vehicles reportedly contained barrels of fuel.
The vans encountered a security checkpoint while travelling towards the base. British law enforcement authorities later recovered the vehicles and arrested individuals connected with the incident during the early hours of September 27.
The incident triggered a security response in the United Kingdom. The United States subsequently withdrew its bombers stationed at RAF Fairford and redeployed them to American bases, according to reports on the investigation.
Alleged coded messages from a New York prison
Another significant part of the indictment concerns al-Saadi, who was already being held in a federal prison in Brooklyn, New York, while awaiting trial on earlier terrorism-related charges.
US prosecutors allege that al-Saadi continued communicating with associates despite being in custody. He allegedly used telephone and video calls with his mother and sister in Iraq to pass coded messages to Mohajeri and al-Hassani.
According to the indictment, al-Saadi used the word "work" as a reference to terrorist activities. Prosecutors claim that he asked family members to pass messages to his associates and discuss whether earlier plans had been cancelled or temporarily suspended.
The indictment also alleges that, in a conversation shortly before the RAF Fairford incident, al-Saadi asked about al-Hassani and instructed family members to provide him with money so that the plan could proceed.
Prosecutors claim these communications helped maintain coordination between the accused individuals even after al-Saadi's arrest. He had reportedly been arrested abroad in May 2026 and later transferred to US custody.
Charges and legal proceedings
The eight-count indictment includes allegations of conspiring to provide material support to Kata’ib Hizballah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, supporting acts of terrorism, attempting terrorist activities across national borders, conspiring to bomb a place of public use and financing terrorism.
The charges carry significant potential penalties, including lengthy prison sentences and, for certain offences, the possibility of life imprisonment. The actual penalties, if the defendants are convicted, will depend on the charges proved and the court's decisions.
Al-Saadi is in US federal custody. However, prosecutors have stated that Mohajeri and al-Hassani are not currently in American custody.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche and other officials described the alleged activities as a serious threat to American personnel and communities in Europe. Prosecutors said the investigation involved the FBI, the New York Police Department and several other federal, state and local agencies.
The case is based on allegations contained in the indictment. All three defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court. The charges mark a significant development in the investigation into the alleged network and its suspected activities across the United States and Europe.
