Man Held Over RAF Brize Norton Break-In Linked to Proscribed Group

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A 22-year-old man has been remanded in custody following his alleged involvement in a break-in at Royal Air Force (RAF) Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where two military aircraft sustained significant damage during a protest earlier this year. The incident has since been claimed by the group Palestine Action, which was proscribed as a terrorist organisation shortly afterwards.

Muhammad Umer Khalid, from Stockport, has been charged with criminal damage and endangering the security of the United Kingdom. He appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where he spoke only to confirm his name and address. Dressed in a black hoodie and grey tracksuit, Khalid was denied bail and remanded in custody ahead of a further court appearance scheduled for 22 August at the Old Bailey.

The alleged break-in took place at approximately 01:40 BST on 20 June. Prosecutor Peter Ratliff told the court that demonstrators infiltrated the secure airbase and targeted two RAF Voyager aircraft, which are used for aerial refuelling and transporting military personnel. Both planes were defaced with spray paint and had one engine each damaged beyond repair, resulting in an estimated cost of £5 million for replacements. The total damage was reported to be around £7 million.

At the scene, police recovered fire extinguishers adorned with Palestinian flags and marked with the words “Palestine Action.” The group later publicly claimed responsibility for the incident, citing opposition to the United Kingdom’s arms sales to Israel as their motivation. Shortly after the incident, the UK Government designated Palestine Action a terrorist entity, highlighting the severity of the group’s tactics and the threat posed to national security infrastructure.

Mr. Khalid was arrested at a property in Bedford on Friday, becoming the fifth individual charged in connection with the June protest. Four other suspects, Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22, were previously remanded following their initial court appearance last month. They are all due to appear at the Old Bailey for a plea hearing on 16 January 2026, with a provisional trial date set for 18 January 2027.

The case continues to attract national attention due to the involvement of a banned organisation and the scale of disruption caused to a critical military site. The Ministry of Defence and counter-terrorism authorities have not commented publicly, but are understood to be monitoring the legal proceedings closely.