WANA (Oct 03) – British authorities have accused two Iranian nationals of preparing to carry out a terrorist attack against the Jewish community in Manchester, although police have not yet released details or evidence supporting the allegations.

 

According to reports, the UK Crown Prosecution Service said on Friday that 34-year-old Rahman Salehi and 36-year-old Salam Ahmadian had been charged with preparing to carry out a terrorist act, or assisting another person in carrying out such an act, in Manchester on or before Yom Kippur.

 

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, began at sunset on September 20.

 

In a separate statement, British police alleged that the two men had been in contact with a third party abroad who “may be in Iran.” Police have not provided further details about the individual, the nature of the contact or any possible role the person may have played in the alleged plot.

 

Britain’s Counter Terrorism Police also alleged that Salehi and Ahmadian, who were both arrested in Manchester on September 20, had attempted to obtain components and equipment needed to make an improvised explosive device and had conducted reconnaissance of potential targets.

 

The two men are due to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Saturday. The allegations concerning the two Iranian nationals in Manchester come only days after similar allegations were raised in a separate case involving RAF Fairford, although British police have stressed that the two cases are unrelated.

 

In the Manchester case, British authorities have so far referred to contact between the suspects and a third party who “may be in Iran,” but have not released details of the communication or evidence establishing a direct role by Iran in the alleged plot.

 

UK Home Secretary Raises Alleged Links to Iran

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood alleged that the two men entered Britain several years ago by small boat via Europe. The Home Office said one of the two had been granted asylum, while the other’s asylum application remained under consideration.

 

Mahmood said Britain was facing “a range of serious threats from the Iranian regime.” She also accused Iran of targeting Jewish communities and attempting to silence its critics abroad, alleging that Tehran used “proxies and criminal networks” for such activities.

 

Iran has previously rejected similar allegations made by British officials. British police reiterated that the Manchester case was unrelated to a separate investigation involving RAF Fairford, in which a British-Iranian dual national was arrested on Thursday over an alleged plot targeting the airbase.

 

British authorities have alleged that Tehran was involved in that case, an allegation Iran has rejected, warning that speculation about an Iranian role could fuel “Iranophobic propaganda.”

 

The alleged Fairford plot was reported while British authorities had yet to release full details of the case, with the investigation still ongoing.