A British academic who was assaulted by a United States Air Force pilot has called for greater transparency over how criminal cases involving visiting American military personnel are transferred from British police forces to the US military justice system.

The comments follow the court martial of Capt. Jacob Wulfson, a US Air Force pilot stationed in the United Kingdom, who was convicted of strangulation after an incident involving the academic during their first face-to-face meeting.

The case has renewed attention on legal arrangements governing US service personnel stationed on British soil and the process through which British authorities transfer criminal investigations to American military prosecutors.

Speaking after the proceedings, the victim said decisions by UK police forces to relinquish jurisdiction in such cases should be subject to greater public scrutiny, particularly when alleged offences involve British citizens.

She argued that the expanding presence of US military personnel in Britain makes it essential to establish a transparent and consistent framework governing how police forces determine whether investigations should remain within the UK criminal justice system or be handled by the US military.

“If we’re going to host these foreign forces here and they’re going to have an increasing presence in our country, I think there’s a necessity that we have a really clear, transparent, focused process by which constabularies hand over these cases,” she said.

The case has drawn wider attention because it involves the interaction between British law enforcement authorities and the US military justice system operating under agreements governing American personnel stationed overseas.

Under existing defence arrangements between the United Kingdom and the United States, some offences involving US service members may be prosecuted through the American military justice system rather than British civilian courts, depending on the nature of the offence and jurisdictional decisions made by the relevant authorities.

The victim, who holds a doctorate in law and has taught at several universities across the United Kingdom, said her professional research focuses on sexual safety and the prevention of violence against women and girls.

She noted that while her academic work provided an informed understanding of the issues raised by the case, experiencing the legal process personally had been particularly difficult.

According to evidence presented during the court martial, Wulfson assaulted the woman during their first in-person meeting.

Military prosecutors also alleged that Wulfson had drugged the woman before penetrating her vagina without her consent. Those allegations were prosecuted as charges of sexual assault and aggravated sexual contact under the US military justice system.

The military court ultimately acquitted Wulfson of those sexual assault-related charges after considering the evidence presented during the proceedings.
Wulfson was, however, convicted on the separate charge of strangulation.

Throughout the trial, the defence rejected the allegations made against the pilot. Wulfson’s lawyer told the court martial that his client had been “falsely accused” and was “unequivocally not guilty.”

Following his conviction on the strangulation charge, Wulfson addressed the military court before sentencing proceedings continued.

The case has prompted broader discussion among legal observers regarding jurisdictional arrangements governing foreign military personnel stationed in Britain, particularly where alleged offences involve British nationals and investigations initially fall under the responsibility of UK police forces.

The victim said increased transparency would strengthen public confidence in the handling of such cases by ensuring decisions over jurisdiction are open to examination rather than being made without public understanding of the criteria involved.

Her comments also reflect wider debates over accountability mechanisms applying to foreign military personnel operating under bilateral defence agreements, particularly as the United Kingdom continues to host significant numbers of US service members at military installations across the country.

In a social media statement, U.S. officials said they were seeking information on Al-Saraji, also known as Abu Alaa Al-Walai, citing his leadership of the group, which Washington has designated as a terrorist organization.

Authorities said the group has carried out attacks against Iraqi civilians, U.S. diplomatic facilities, and American military personnel in Iraq and Syria.The department said individuals providing credible information could be eligible for relocation in addition to the financial reward, as part of efforts to disrupt the activities of Iran-aligned militias operating in the region.

Kataeb Sayyid Al-Shuhada has been linked to attacks targeting the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, facilities at the capital’s international airport, and oil infrastructure operated by foreign companies. The group operates within Iraq’s broader network of armed factions aligned with Tehran.

Al-Saraji is also reported to hold a position within Iraq’s Coordination Framework, a Shiite political alliance that commands a parliamentary majority, underscoring the overlap between armed groups and political structures in the country.

The move comes as Iraq faces renewed instability linked to the wider regional conflict that escalated following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, drawing in Tehran-backed factions across the Middle East.

Earlier this month, Washington announced a similar reward targeting a senior figure in Kataeb Hezbollah, another powerful Iran-aligned militia, following the temporary abduction of a U.S. journalist.

U.S. officials have also increased pressure on the Iraqi government to curb the influence of such groups, with reports indicating the suspension of certain financial transfers and security-related funding as part of broader policy measures.

According to the report, the satellite, identified as TEE-01B and developed by Earth Eye Co., was acquired in late 2024 by the Aerospace Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after being launched from China.

The newspaper said Iranian commanders directed the satellite to track key U.S. military installations, citing time-stamped coordinates, orbital analysis and imagery purportedly showing surveillance activity before and after missile and drone strikes carried out in March.

The report added that Iran gained access to satellite control infrastructure through Emposat, a Beijing-based firm operating commercial ground stations across multiple regions, enabling data transmission and operational support.China’s foreign ministry denied the allegations, saying in a statement that claims linking Beijing to the reported activities were fabricated.

“Recently, some forces have been keen on fabricating rumors and maliciously associating them to China,” the ministry said, adding that China “firmly opposes this kind of practice driven by ulterior motives.”Reuters could not independently verify the Financial Times report.

The development, if confirmed, would underscore the increasing role of commercial satellite capabilities in modern conflict, particularly in providing real-time intelligence for targeting and surveillance operations.

The PMF said in a statement that its Anbar operations commander, Saad al-Baiji, was among those killed when a strike hit a command headquarters during a security meeting attended by senior personnel.

The group accused the United States of carrying out the attack, saying the facility was targeted while fighters were on duty.Health officials said several of the wounded were in critical condition, indicating the death toll could rise.

Security sources told Reuters the airstrike targeted the PMF headquarters during a high-level coordination meeting, amplifying the impact of the attack. The extent of structural damage to the site was not immediately clear.

There was no immediate confirmation or comment from U.S. officials regarding the allegation.

The PMF, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, is a state-sanctioned umbrella organisation comprising predominantly Shi’ite paramilitary factions. It was formally integrated into Iraq’s security apparatus but includes several groups aligned with Iran.

The strike comes amid intensifying regional tensions following the outbreak of a U.S.-Israeli war with Iran in February. Tehran-backed armed groups have since launched repeated attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, raising concerns of a broader conflict.

Hostilities have spread beyond Iran’s borders, with Tehran carrying out strikes against Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military facilities, while Israel has conducted attacks in Lebanon following cross-border fire by Iran-aligned Hezbollah.