Two men have been charged following an investigation into a suspected terror plot involving RAF Fairford.

Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, and Nouman Essghir, 24, have been charged under the National Security Act and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Abdulkarim, of London, has been charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service while Essghir, also of London, has been charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.

Police announced last week that two men had been re-arrested while five other men arrested during the original investigation remain on police bail.

Assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor, the head of National Counter Terrorism Policing in the UK, said: “Earlier this morning, Nouman Essghir, 24, a British national from the borough of Westminster, London, was charged under Section 4 of the National Security Act 2023, for suspected activity on Saturday 22 August. He was first arrested at the scene in Gloucestershire on Sunday 27 September, and re-arrested on 20 October.

“Essghir will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court this morning.

“A second man, a 25-year-old dual UK/Iranian national, re-arrested on the same date, has been released without charge. However, he remains on police bail following his first arrest on Thursday 1 October. Following the re-arrest of these individuals, detectives also interviewed a further man under caution.

“As a result, Mohammed Abdulkarim, a 24-year-old British national, from the borough of Westminster, London, has been charged under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023, which makes it an offence to assist a foreign intelligence service.

“In this case, we believe that country to be Iran. Abdulkarim will appear at Westminster Magistrates today.”

Police stopped three vans near the airbase in Gloucestershire on 27 September and five men were originally arrested as a major incident was declared. No explosive materials were found in the vans, but a quantity of petrol was seized, police said.

After hours of questioning, the five men were released under strict bail conditions. Since then, two more men were arrested and bailed similarly.

RAF Fairford has previously been used by the US, but Donald Trump announced earlier this month that they would be moving their bomber warplanes out of the air base due to undisclosed “threats”.

Asked whether there was a specific decision that led to the withdrawal, Mr Trump said: “They didn’t fly out by accident. There were some threats.”

“Rather than tempting the enemy, we'll capture the enemy and beat the enemy. But why should we leave him there? So we moved him around a little bit. Not very far,” he added.

Counter Terrorism Policing previously said it was “highly likely that there is Iranian state involvement” in the incident.

Frank Ferguson, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute two individuals with National Security Act offences following a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation into a high-profile incident involving RAF Fairford.

“We will continue to work closely with our partners as this complex investigation continues.”