Plot to kill British Prime Minister May foiled: Reports

Image
Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : Dec 06 2017 | 1:05 PM IST
An Islamist terror plot to assassinate British Prime Minister Theresa May has been foiled by the country's security services who arrested two men in connection with the scheme, media reports said today.
Two men were arrested last week following a joint operation by MI5, the UKs counter-terrorism security service, and police.
The two men have been arrested on suspicion of plotting to kill the prime minister by using a bomb disguised as a bag to blow off the gates of Downing Street and then attack her with knives.
The suspects were detained during raids in London and Birmingham last week and charged with terrorism offences. They are due to appear in Westminster Magistrates' Court.
Security officials believe the alleged Islamist plot is the ninth to have been thwarted since March this year.
The attack on Westminster in March heralded the start of a spate of attacks, with five terrorist atrocities getting through Britains defences this year and claiming a total of 36 lives in London and Manchester.
The details of the latest plot emerged as an official report into the terrorist attacks Britain suffered between March and June was released.
The plot was revealed to the Cabinet yesterday by Andrew Parker, the head of MI5, who also told ministers that security services have foiled nine terrorist attacks on the UK in the last year, media reports said.
The Metropolitan Police said Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman, 20, from north London, and Mohammed Aqib Imran, 21, from Birmingham, had been charged with preparing a terrorist act.
A Scotland Yard spokesperson declined to confirm that the arrests were linked to a plot to attack May.
It comes as a new report found that security services could possibly have prevented a suicide attack at the Manchester Arena in May. Bomber Salman Abedi killed 22 people when he blew himself up outside an Ariana Grande concert.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Dec 06 2017 | 1:05 PM IST

Next Story