Three alleged terrorists in court accused of ‘plotting mass murder in central London’

From the Daily Mail

Three Muslim men were yesterday accused of plotting a deadly copycat terror attack on Westminster.

The trio were allegedly secretly recorded discussing using explosives, guns, knives and vehicles for ‘mass murder’. They are suspected of targeting key sites across London including Parliament, City banks, Heathrow and the Queen’s Guard.

Police believe the alleged terror cell was inspired by Khalid Masood, who left four dead on Westminster Bridge before fatally stabbing a police officer in March.

Islamic scholar Umar Ahmed Haque, 24, Muhammad Abid, 26, and 18-year-old Abuthaher Mamun were arrested in raids across east London last week. They appeared before Westminster magistrates’ court charged with offences under the Terrorism Acts 2000 and 2006. A fourth man, Nadeem Ilyas Patel, 25, appeared alongside them charged with attempting to supply them with a firearm.

Kashif Malik, prosecuting, told the court: ‘The Crown’s allegation is that Haque was planning a terrorism attack in the UK involving mass murder. He intended to use a heavy vehicle laden with explosives, he certainly had the know-how, as documented in the instruction manuals which have been recovered from his address, on how to make explosives. Or he was going to use a knife – and again manuals were recovered from his address on how to carry out knife attacks. Or he was intending to use a firearm and we say he was trying to acquire one from Patel who was willing to provide one.. .”

The court heard Haque is accused of possessing a handwritten list of possible targets including government buildings, foreign embassies and tourist attractions. At Patel’s home, police allegedly found two guns, one in the style of a Walther P99 pistol capable of firing gas pellets and a .22 air pistol.

The men’s lawyers did not apply for bail and chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot remanded them in custody to next appear at the Old Bailey on June 9.