London terror attack accused Khalid Mohammed Omar Ali faces terror charges

A man arrested near the British parliament last month has been charged with terrorism offences, as well as two historic charges relating to explosives in Afghanistan, police said Tuesday.

Khalid Mohammed Omar Ali, a 27-year-old from north London, is accused of preparing terrorist acts after being arrested not far from Prime Minister Theresa May’s Downing Street office on 27 April.

In two further charges, dating to January and July 2012, he is accused of having explosives with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property or to enable any other person to do so.

“Counts two and three relate to activity in Afghanistan in 2012,” the statement from London’s Metropolitan Police said, without giving further details.

He is due to appear in court on Wednesday.

His arrest came the month after five people were killed in an attack on parliament. Khalid Masood, who was British, drove his car along a pavement before stabbing a policeman to death, before being shot dead by armed officers.

The court heard that his fingerprints were alleged to have been found on parts for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) recovered in Afghanistan that year by US intelligence.

Ali, from north London, told the magistrate: “I don’t recognise the charges.”

He remains in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey court in London on 19 May.