Three alleged Iranian spies charged with targeting UK-based journalists

Three alleged Iranian spies have appeared in court docket charged with concentrating on UK-based journalists in order that “serious violence” might be inflicted on them.

Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, all from London, appeared in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom.

They’re accused of concentrating on particular person journalists working for Iran Worldwide, an impartial media organisation primarily based in London.

The three defendants had been granted momentary depart to stay within the UK after claiming asylum. They arrived within the UK between 2016 and 2022. Mr Sepahvand arrived in 2016 hid in a lorry. The opposite two arrived in small boats.

The three males are charged with committing offences beneath the Nationwide Safety Act between 2024 and this 12 months. They had been arrested two weeks in the past.

They’re charged with partaking in conduct more likely to help a overseas intelligence service, particularly that of Iran, in finishing up UK-related actions and knew or should have moderately recognized their conduct was more likely to help a overseas intelligence service.

“Iran must be held to account for its actions,” House Secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned in an announcement following Saturday’s fees.

She added: “We must also strengthen our powers to protect our national security as we will not tolerate growing state threats on our soil.”

Mr Sepahvand, of St John’s Wooden, London can be charged with partaking in surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source analysis with the intention of committing critical violence in opposition to an individual within the UK.

Mr Manesh, of Kensal Rise, London and Mr Noori, of Ealing, London are additionally charged with partaking in surveillance and reconnaissance with the intention that critical violence in opposition to an individual within the UK could be dedicated by others.

A fourth man, 31, was arrested on 9 Might as a part of the investigation however was launched with out cost on Thursday, police mentioned.

It’s alleged the three males carried out surveillance with a view to finding journalists related to Iran Worldwide.

Iran Worldwide produces protection that’s vital of the present regime in Iran and has been proscribed in Iran as a terrorist organisation.

The three defendants appeared within the dock sporting gray tracksuits flanked by eight guards. Mr Sepahvand was in a wheelchair.

No pleas had been indicated by the boys. District Decide Annabel Pilling remanded them in custody to seem the Outdated Bailey on 6 June.

Cdr Dominic Murphy, from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, mentioned the “extremely serious” fees made on Saturday come comply with “a very complex and fast-moving investigation”.

He mentioned detectives had been “working around the clock” because the males had been arrested, and added that officers had been “in contact with the individuals directly affected”.

Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS particular crime and counter terrorism division, mentioned: “It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

The arrest of the three males on 3 Might got here on the identical day that 5 different Iranian males had been detained in London, Swindon, Stockport, Rochdale and Manchester by police as a part of a separate counter-terrorism investigation.

4 had been launched from custody on Saturday, with the fifth beforehand launched on bail till an unspecified date in Might. Cdr Murphy mentioned “our investigation remains active and ongoing”.

The police confused that they weren’t treating the 2 investigations as linked.