Three men charged in alleged plots targeting Jewish communities and a UK airbase
By Emma Carter
Image information
This is a representative image for this Daily News lesson.
Intro
The charges include an alleged plan to attack RAF Fairford, a British airbase where U.S. forces had been stationed.
Vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| authorities noun | noun | Meaning: People or organizations with official power to make decisions or enforce rules. | Example: The local authorities closed the road after the storm. |
| indictment noun | noun | Meaning: A formal statement that someone is accused of a crime. | Example: The indictment listed several charges against the company owner. |
| custody noun | noun | Meaning: The state of being held by the police or other authorities. | Example: The suspect remained in police custody overnight. |
| detained verb | verb | Meaning: Kept by authorities and not allowed to leave for a time. | Example: Police detained the driver while they checked his identity. |
| campaign noun | noun | Meaning: A planned series of actions intended to achieve a goal. | Example: The group began a campaign to clean up the beach. |
The story
U.S. authorities have charged three men with plotting nearly 20 attacks on Jewish communities in Europe and the United States. The alleged plans also included an assault on RAF Fairford, a British airbase used by the U.S. Air Force. The charges were described in an indictment made public in Manhattan federal court.
The defendants are Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Mohsen Mohajeri, and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani. Authorities say the men acted for a network linked to Iran. The indictment says they used contacts in the United Kingdom to plan attacks. These are accusations, and the charges do not prove that the men are guilty.
Al-Saadi, who was arrested in the spring, is the only defendant in custody. Prosecutors say he continued to communicate with the other two men before the alleged plot at RAF Fairford in September. The base is in Fairford, in the United Kingdom, and U.S. bombers and troops had been stationed there.
The case follows arrests in Britain after three vans were seen traveling toward the base on September 27. Several men were detained on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offenses. The supplied account says British authorities connected the incident to Tehran, while Iran denied involvement. The arrests led the United States to move its bombers from RAF Fairford back to bases in the United States.
Al-Saadi had already faced charges over alleged attacks in Europe. In June, he pleaded not guilty to charges involving at least 18 planned attacks. The new charges describe a wider alleged campaign that included targets in both Europe and the United States. The case remains a legal process, and the allegations will be considered in court.
Warm-up questions
- What kinds of information should a news report give about a court case?
- What do you think the word allegation means in a news story?
Comprehension questions
- What targets did the alleged plans include?
- Where were the charges described?
- Who is the only defendant in custody?
- What happened after the arrests in Britain?
- What does the article say about the men’s guilt?
Opinion questions
- Why is it important for news reports to say clearly when charges are only accusations?
- Which detail in the article do you think readers need to understand most? Why?
Further discussion
- What questions might people have when an alleged plot involves more than one country?
- How can a legal process help a court decide whether accusations are true?
Writing prompt
- Write a short summary of the case. Include the alleged targets, the arrests, and what the article says about the legal process.
