Two Iranian nationals charged in alleged Manchester plot against Jewish community
British police have charged two Iranian men with preparing a terrorist attack on Manchester's Jewish community, saying they were in contact with an overseas source and had begun making an improvised explosive device.
British authorities said on Friday that two Iranian nationals, 34-year-old Rahman Salehi and 36-year-old Salam Ahmadyan, have been charged with preparing a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community in Manchester. The charges, filed under "engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts," relate to alleged planning that took place on or before Sept. 20, the day before Yom Kippur.
According to a Metropolitan Police statement, the men were in contact with an overseas third party believed to be based in Iran and had assembled components for an improvised explosive device while scouting potential targets.
The arrests come amid a separate investigation involving five British nationals detained earlier this week in connection with suspicious activity near RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force base used for U.S. operations against Iran. Those individuals were released on bail, and a dual U.K.-Iranian national was later arrested in relation to that incident.
Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing, said the Manchester plot is unrelated to the Fairford investigation but highlighted broader security concerns linked to Iran. "This week also brought into sharp focus some of the wider threats being projected into the UK from Iran," she said. "While this incident and the investigation into the RAF Fairford incident are not connected in any way, I want to reassure the public that CTP, working with our national security partners, are using the full range of our capabilities to protect the UK from any hostile acts."