Man arrested near UK Parliament in court on terror charges

Prosecutors say suspect's fingerprints were found on IED parts recovered by the US in 2012 al-Qaeda raid in Afghanistan

Firearms officiers from the British police detain Khalid Mohamed Omar Ali on Whitehall near the Houses of Parliament in central London on April 27, 2017 before being taken away by police. (AFP/Niklas Halle'n)

LONDON — Prosecutors say a British man arrested with several knives near Parliament last month is also accused of being an al-Qaeda bomb-maker in Afghanistan.

Khalid Mohamed Omar Ali appeared in court Wednesday to face one charge of preparing terrorist acts and two of making or having explosives.

The 27-year-old Londoner was arrested at gunpoint in the street near Parliament on April 27 as part of what police called an ongoing counterterrorism operation. They said he had been under surveillance.

Prosecutors say Ali’s fingerprints were allegedly found on parts for improvised explosive devices recovered by the US in Afghanistan in 2012.


Ali refused to enter pleas during the hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Not-guilty pleas were entered on his behalf and he was ordered detained until his next court appearance May 19.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.

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