Norway charges man over thwarted terror attacks in London, Denmark

A man has been charged in Norway for his alleged role in plans to carry out three terror attacks in Denmark and in London, and for purportedly spreading Islamic State group propaganda on the internet.

Authorities believe the 24-year-old man, who was not identified, was part of a group that sought to strike a church in England, possibly St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, but British police thwarted the plot, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reports.

The man was also allegedly involved in plans for one or more attacks in Denmark in March and April 2019, with help from at least one Danish citizen, prosecutor Geir Evanger tells NRK. Those attacks are believed to have been prevented as well.

The man has maintained his innocence. If found guilty, the man faces up to 21 years in jail, NRK said. The trial starts in Oslo on May 18.

Evanger is quoted by NRK as saying that as to his involvement in IS, the man spread “extremist material, violent material, and material with religious content” online. He was an administrator for several groups on social media, including some he had created, the prosecutor says, adding they consider him to be “a relatively central participant in many of these groups.”

NRK says the man had been held in custody for a while.