Suspected terrorist stopped from going on Westminster knife rampage

A suspected terrorist was stopped from going on a knife rampage in Westminster because his frightened mother tipped off police, a court heard.

Khalid Ali, 28, spent five years making bombs in Afghanistan for the Taliban before returning home to deliver a “message” to Parliament armed with three knives, jurors were told.

The trained plumber was arrested in Parliament Square on April 27 last year having twice carried out ‘hostile reconnaissance’ around Downing Street, Parliament and the MI6 headquarters.

When his mother found knives in her son’s bedroom, she dialled 999 from her north London home, telling officers she was afraid he was going to kill his relatives.

In his police interviews, Ali said he had left the UK because he was under pressure to marry and felt trapped as MI5 and counter terrorism police tried to recruit him.

When asked if he had returned for jihad, he said: “Jihad is what we do. We are Mujahideen. And I am here to let you know the reason why I have come with the message, for you to make the right decisions, if not … we have a lot of time. UK is next on the list.”

He told police he carried knives for protection to deliver his message to decision-makers in Westminster.

Prosecutor Brian Altman QC said police were called to Ali’s home in Edmonton, north London, to a report of a man armed with a knife just after midnight that day.

Officers found the front door open and Ali’s mother Fadumo Faji Adam waiting for them, clearly upset.

Mr Altman told jurors: “She said that she had found knives in her son’s bedroom and that she was scared he was going to kill the family.

“She showed the police three large black-handled knives, which some of the officers thought looked shiny and new, while others thought them dull or used.”

Ali calmly told police he had no idea why his mother had called them, Mr Altman said, and asked if she wanted him to be arrested, Ms Adam said: “No, No, No. I just want him to leave.”

The court heard Ali had bought the knives two days previously at The Mighty Pound in Ealing, and had been seen by surveillance officers to throw away the packaging.

After leaving his mother’s house, Ali set about re-arming himself, the Old Bailey heard.

He travelled back to Ealing where he bought an eight-inch chef’s knife and two 3.5ins paring knives from Wilko.

He also purchased a rucksack emblazoned with a Union Jack and London logo, jurors heard.

The court heard he cut himself as he disposed of packaging in the changing room of a gym before taking the Tube to Victoria.

He deliberately dropped his mobile phone into the River Thames minutes before he was arrested by armed police in Parliament Square, jurors heard.

The knives were retrieved from his jacket pockets and the waistband of his tracksuit bottoms.

When he was apprehended, Ali was asked if the public were in danger and he told officers he did not care about them.

On whether there was a risk to anyone else, he allegedly replied: “You lot are carrying weapons, so you must know you are in danger.”

Earlier, Ali had been captured on CCTV carrying out “hostile reconnaissance” around Downing Street, Parliament and the MI6 headquarters.

Mr Altman told jurors: “It is, you can conclude, no coincidence that the defendant was apprehended in Whitehall.

“Whitehall was one of a number of sensitive, high-profile areas where the defendant had engaged in hostile reconnaissance both on 18 March 2017 and on 22 April 2017, just days before what the prosecution allege, had it not been thwarted, was to be a murderous terror attack.”

Ali denies two charges of possessing explosives with intent abroad in 2012 and one charge of preparing terrorist acts in Britain.

Source: telegraph