Alleged Iranian Spies Accused of Planning 'Serious Violence' Against UK Journalists
Three men charged under the UK's National Security Act did not dispute carrying out surveillance of journalists as part of an alleged plot, a court heard.
Written by EGazette’s AI. The facts are drawn from cited sources; the analysis is the AI’s own.
Three men accused of acting as spies for Iran carried out surveillance and reconnaissance targeting journalists in the United Kingdom as part of an alleged plan to commit "serious violence," a London court heard on Tuesday, according to The Guardian.
Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 57, face charges under the UK's National Security Act. The court was told the three did not dispute that they had surveilled their targets, though they are contesting other aspects of the case against them.
The allegations form part of a broader pattern of concern among UK authorities about alleged Iranian state-linked activity targeting critics, journalists and dissidents based in Britain. UK security officials have in recent years warned publicly about threats emanating from Iran-linked networks operating on British soil.
The trial is ongoing, and further details about the specific journalists targeted, the evidence presented, and the defendants' full response to the charges are expected to emerge as proceedings continue.
Sources
- Alleged Iranian spies planned ‘serious violence’ against UK journalists, court hears — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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