A fifth individual has been charged by counter-terrorism police following a break-in at RAF Brize Norton, where two military aircraft were vandalised.
Muhammad Umer Khalid, 22, faces charges of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to unlawfully enter a prohibited site, allegedly with intentions harmful to the UK's security or interests. These charges fall under the Criminal Law Act.
The break-in occurred in June, when activists infiltrated the Oxfordshire airbase and sprayed red paint on two RAF Voyager aircraft, causing an estimated £7 million in damages.
The activist group Palestine Action, which has since been banned by the UK government, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is known for its direct action campaigns against arms manufacturers, especially since the onset of the Gaza conflict.
Khalid, who has no fixed address, was remanded in custody and is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Last month, four others were charged with the same offences. Additionally, two more individuals were arrested in connection with the incident—one woman remains on police bail under investigation, while a man has been released without charge.
The government designated Palestine Action as a proscribed terrorist organisation following the group's involvement in the airbase incident. However, the group has been granted permission to legally challenge the ban. Photo by Steve Lympany - RAF Brize Norton Photographic Section, Wikimedia commons.