Man held over alleged plot to kill PM

● Planned attack on Downing Street involved knife and suicide bomb

A man has appeared in court accused of plotting to assassinate the Prime Minister in a bomb and knife attack on Downing Street.

Naa’imur Zakariyah Rahman, 20, is alleged to have planned to bomb the security gates outside the Westminster residence before attacking Number 10 with a knife and suicide vest in a bid to kill Theresa May.

Rahman has been charged with preparing acts of terrorism and appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court yesterday, alongside Mohammed Aqib Imran, 21, who is accused of trying to join Islamic State.

They were arrested in raids by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command in London and Birmingham on 28 November.

Details of the plan were reportedly given to the Cabinet on Tuesday by the head of MI5 Andrew Parker in a briefing in which he revealed that

0 Naa’imur Zakariyah Rahman, left, and Mohammed Aqib Imran in the dock a total of nine Islamist terrorist plots have been thwarted in the UK over the past year.

Rahman, of Ballards Lane, Finchley, north London, is also charged with assisting Imran in terrorism planning.

Imran, of Ombersley Road, Birmingham, is charged with preparing acts of terrorism.

Rahman, who gave his nationality as Bangladeshibritish, appeared in court wearing a grey tracksuit, with long hair, and was represented by Ali Bajwa QC.

Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot remanded them in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on 20 December.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman declined to discuss the details of the foiled attacks.

In a separate case yesterday, a man appeared in court accused of helping would-be terrorists prepare attacks on the UK, including by sharing a photo of Prince George and his school address on social media.

Husnain Rashid, 31, allegedly made the post about the four-year-old prince on messaging app Telegram, along with other posts which allegedly could help others identify UK targets such as stadiums.

Prosecutors at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday also alleged that he planned to travel to Syria to join Islamic State as the militant group fights to retain a foothold in the country.

Rashid, who appeared in the dock wearing a grey tracksuit and glasses, and spoke only to confirmhisnameandaddress, is charged with one count of preparing acts of terrorism and one count of assisting others to prepare acts of terrorism.

The British national, of Leonard Street, Nelson, north-west of Burnley, was arrested on 22 November by officers from Lancashire Police and Counter Terrorism Policing.

Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot remanded balding Rashid, who had a large beard, in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on 20 December.