A 19-year-old man from west London has appeared in court accused of plotting a terror attack in the UK.
Haroon Ali-Syed, from Hounslow, has been charged with preparing to commit acts of terrorism between 12 April and 9 September, Westminster magistrates court heard.
Prosecutor Thomas Halpin told the court: “The allegation in summary is he was plotting a terrorist attack in the UK.”
Syed, who was arrested last week, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address. He was dressed in prison-issue grey jumper and tracksuit bottoms.
District judge Elizabeth Roscoe remanded him in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Monday.
Two other men, aged 19 and 20, were arrested at the same time on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism and a religiously aggravated offence respectively. They were later released on bail.
Separately, for an unrelated matter earlier on Tuesday, a 61-year-old man was arrested in west London on suspicion of possessing an article for the purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism. Scotland Yard counter-terror police arrested the man at 4.10pm on Monday in Kensington.
The man, who remains in custody, was arrested under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. The Guardian understands the arrest was not part of a planned operation. Detectives are currently searching an address in Kensington.
The activity comes amid a heightened fear of an attack on the UK. Since August 2014, Britain has been at its second highest level of terror alert – severe – meaning an attack is highly likely.
The government has previously claimed that seven plots, directly linked by officials to the rise of Islamic State, have been foiled in Britain since 2014.
