Iraqi accused of plotting attack on UK base for Iran-backed group

The US Justice Department has announced new charges against Iraqi national Mohammed Baqir Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, accusing him of attempting to send encrypted messages from his prison cell in the United States to individuals suspected of links to Iran-backed groups, as part of a plot to target RAF Fairford, a British Royal Air Force base.

US prosecutors said Al-Saadi tried to use phone calls from a New York jail to family members to pass coded messages to two other individuals believed to be supported by Iran, while he was being held on unrelated criminal charges.

Al-Saadi, who has previously pleaded not guilty to eight criminal counts, faces charges including conspiracy to provide material support to Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.

Al-Saadi's attorney has not commented on the new charges so far, according to the US Justice Department.

The case has gained additional significance following comments by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham last October, who indicated that the suspected plot to target the airbase was highly likely to have been coordinated from inside Iran.

RAF Fairford is among the military sites used by the United States to launch bombers in operations targeting Iran, adding a political and military dimension to the case.

Tehran has denied any involvement in the alleged plot, as US investigations into the related charges continue.