An alleged member of the banned neo-Nazi group National Action is to stand trial next year accused of plotting to murder a Labour MP with a machete and threatening to kill a police officer.
The 22-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at the Old Bailey in London on Friday charged with intention to commit terrorism, namely buying a machete to murder Rosie Cooper, the MP for West Lancashire.
He is alleged to have purchased the blade between 5 June and 3 July. He also faces a charge of a threat to kill a detective constable and of being a member of a proscribed organisation, National Action. He allegedly made the threat on 1 July.
Christopher Lythgoe, 31, also appeared, charged with giving the 22-year-old defendant permission on 1 July to murder Cooper in the name of National Action.
Lythgoe, from Warrington, and four other men are also charged with being members of the organisation.
They appeared at the Old Bailey via video link before Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, and were remanded in custody.
The judge set their trial venue as Woolwich crown court, south-east London, on a date to be fixed after 9 April next year.
The other men are: Garron Helm, 24, of Seaforth, Merseyside; Matthew Hankinson, 23, of Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside; and Andrew Clarke, 33, and Michael Trubini, 35, both of Warrington.
All men, including the unnamed 22-year-old, are charged with being members of a banned organisation between 16 December last year and 27 September.
