Blackburn terror suspects in court (From Blackburn Citizen)

Blackburn terror suspects in court

5:37pm Friday 3rd October 2008 in News

FOUR suspected terrorists appeared in court today over a threat to kill Gordon Brown.

Ishaq Kanmi, 22 Ilyas Iqbal, 21 Abbas Iqbal, 23 and 24-year-old Muhammad Ahmed are charged with a string of offences including soliciting the Prime Minister's murder.

Kanmi, of Cromwell Street, Blackburn, is charged with soliciting murder and being a member of al Qaida.

He is alleged to have posted a message on a website encouraging readers to murder Mr Brown and former PM Tony Blair, on January 2 this year.

Ilyas Iqbal of Percival Street, Blackburn, is accused of owning terrorist material and researching terror.

Brother Abbas is charged with owning terrorist material and spreading terrorist literature.

Ahmad, 24, of Whalley Range, is accused of possessing terrorist material such as camouflage clothes and plans for 'urban combat'.

The white Muslim convert is a father-of-one who works in Boots.

All four men spoke only to answer to their names at Woolwich Crown Court and were remanded in custody today .

A fifth man, 29-year-old Krenar Lusha, 29, of Moore Street, Derby, has also been charged in connection with the plot.

He is accused of possessing bomb-making recipes and 4kilos of potassium nitrate - a critical component in gunpowder, and also faces four charges of possessing instructions on how to make bombs.

Judge Mr Justice David Calvert-Smith set a provisional date for a plea and case management hearing of January 5.

He also indicated that the trial should be held in the north of England, as all four suspects in court are from Blackburn.