Four Men Charged with Terror Offences after London Raids

Local Editor

Four young men from London swore an oath to the "ISIL" extremists, acquired a gun and used every day internet tools to plot the shooting dead of police officers or soldiers in the capital, a court heard on Friday.

The men were arrested during counter-terrorism raids in London over the past fortnight and were charged on Friday with preparing to carry out a terrorist attack. Those charged are medical student Tarik Hassane, 21, Suhaib Majeed, 20, Nyall Hamlett, 24, and Momen Motasim, 21.

Westminster magistrates court heard claims the alleged plot involved the use of Google Street View to conduct "hostile reconnaissance" on Shepherd's Bush police station and White City Territorial Army barracks. The men are also alleged to have images, sent via Instagram, of two Metropolitan police officers and two community support officers.
As part of a plot it is claimed a gun, silencer and ammunition were obtained, as well as a moped.

The terrorist plotters are claimed to have had a copy of a "fatwa" from one of the senior leaders the terrorist calling for strikes against the US and its allies in retaliation for their military action against the extremist group in Iraq.

The plotters are alleged to have pleaded allegiance to "ISIL" and were charged with the intention of committing acts of terrorism, or assisting others to commit such acts between 8 July and 7 October 2014.

Hours after they were charged the five appeared in court, flanked in the dock by more than a dozen police - including plainclothes officers wearing stab-proof vests - and security officers.
All five men remain in custody and will appear in court again later this month.
The men were arrested by Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command following raids across London.

Details of the alleged plot were released by police and emerged in the court hearing, with the four men who are claimed to be plotting a strike on behalf of "ISIL" accused of more than 20 terrorism-related acts.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team