Man, 20, appears in court on terror charges over arson attacks and bomb hoax after police 'foil lone wolf attack on King's Guards'
A 20-year-old man has appeared in court charged with terrorism offences after a series of alleged arson and bomb hoax incidents, as police foiled a 'lone wolf attack on King's Guards'.
Ilyas Akhtar, of Slough, Berkshire, spoke only to confirm his personal details when he appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.
The 'lone wolf' was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and arson in Slough last week at the Salt Hill Activity Centre, near Windsor Castle.
On Sunday he was rearrested over alleged terror offences.
Military personnel at a barracks close by were told not to leave the grounds in uniform for two days amid the security scare.
Akhtar, who was dressed in a grey tracksuit during the three-minute hearing, was charged on Friday after an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing South East, with authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service.
He is accused of preparing acts of terrorism, possessing information useful to terrorists, carrying out two arson attacks and causing a bomb hoax.
The arson charges relate to fires at Salt Hill Activity Centre in Slough on May 31 and Slough Ice Arena on Montem Lane on May 14, police said.
The bomb hoax charge relates to an incident at the town's Asda supermarket on Telford Drive on May 9.
The supermarket closed almost 90 minutes early after a member of staff found a suspicious package.
No indication of a plea and no bail application was made at the court hearing.
District Judge Louisa Cieciora told Akhtar he will next appear in custody at the Old Bailey on June 20.
A source told the Sun last night that Akhtar was believed to have been plotting an attack: 'The suspect is feared to have been plotting an attack.
'Police informed bosses at the barracks and measures were taken immediately despite him already being in custody.
'It was a huge security scare. But it was in the interests of everyone's safety.'
The warning was circulated to Victoria Barracks in Windsor - home to the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards.
Detective Superintendent Andy Penrith, of Thames Valley Police, previously said: 'We understand that these charges for terrorism offences will be concerning to our communities in Slough.
'I want to reassure all our residents that Thames Valley Police is working closely with our communities and partners in Slough as well as our colleagues in counter-terrorism.'
He said patrols would be stepped up in the area and urged anyone with concerns to speak to officers or police community support officers.
'Due to the ongoing court proceedings, our officers and staff won't be able to provide any further details on this specific case, but we will be there to listen and support our communities,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
32 minutes ago
- The Sun
Fury as it costs more to cage a teenage killer than put them up in a ‘superior twin' room at The Ritz
IT COSTS more to cage a teenage killer than put them up at The Ritz, shock figures reveal. Taxpayers foot an annual bill of £336,000 — £921 per night — to keep a young lag at a Secure Training Centre. 2 A room at London's Ritz can cost £775 a night, or £900 for a 'superior twin' room. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers will find these figures difficult to believe. 'Keeping dangerous child prisoners locked up is inevitably going to be expensive, but the current cost cited is so high that inefficiencies must be present. 'At the very least, the Prison Service needs to be transparent as to why costs are so high.' Places at Oakhill Secure Training Centre, near Milton Keynes, Bucks, are the most expensive in the prison estate — costing seven times the £122 per night for some adult jails. Those there are believed to include two 13-year-old machete murderers of Shawn Seesahai, 19 — attacked in Wolverhampton in 2023. It is run by private firm G4S, holds up to 80 children and is currently the country's only operational STC. Young Offender Institutions come in at £329. A spokesman said: 'Children in custody are largely there for serious offences and have needs requiring more support.' Woman left 'boiling' with rage after paying £125 to visit her man behind bars but trolls say it's 'prison not Butlins' 2
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Horror as soldier stabbed in the face by maniac in random attack while walking his dog near UK base
A ROYAL Engineer was attacked by a knifeman who tried to steal the dog he was walking. The trainee, in his 20s, was confronted by a maniac who attempted to steal the pet two miles away from the Swinton Barracks in Tidworth, Wiltshire. The incident on Friday afternoon sent shockwaves through the camp, though the young victim, who suffered a facial wound, is expected to make a full recovery. It is understood that police are now investigating the attack. It is not thought to be linked to the victim's role in the Army. A source said: 'It was a random attack while he was out walking a dog. 'The attacker approached him and produced a knife, and demanded that he hand the dog over. 'Obviously he refused. The knifeman made a lunge at him, and he was wounded in the face. 'The attacker wouldn't have known he was in the military, but obviously, with the threats soldiers face, this is still an alarming incident.' Military sources said Wiltshire Police were investigating the incident as a civilian matter. Swinton Barracks is a 320-acre military estate on the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, which is regularly used for Army drills. It houses two Royal Engineer regiments and two Signal regiments. Wiltshire Police said: 'At around 3.45pm on Friday, we received a report that an unknown suspect had approached a man walking a dog in woodland near Perham Down and attempted to snatch the lead of the dog. Horror moment McDonald's staff threatened with huge machete and four teens arrested 'The victim, a man in his 20s, suffered a minor injury to his face during the incident. 'Our enquiries into the incident are ongoing.' 1
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
British businessman accused of spying for China reported to a Red Army agent with close ties to Chinese president Xi
A British businessman accused of spying for China reported to a high-ranking intelligence officer closely linked to President Xi Jinping, The Mail on Sunday has learned. John Miller, who the MoS last week revealed was the subject of an FBI sting operation, was arrested with his 'handler', Cui Guanghai, just hours before they were due to board a flight to Beijing. Both men are accused of trying to buy weapons and sensitive military technology in the United States for the People's Liberation Army. This newspaper can now reveal that Cui, 43, is an Edinburgh University graduate suspected of working for China's military intelligence and described as 'important' to President Xi. Court documents claim Miller, a 63-year-old recruitment specialist from Tunbridge Wells, was 'working for and being directed by' Cui. The two men were once pictured together in London 's Chinatown. Other images on social media show Cui and his wife at locations in Edinburgh, Dublin and London, including the Houses of Parliament. Britain's security services are understood to be liaising with the FBI, examining both Cui's activities in the UK and Miller's background. Last night Miller's sister Avril said: 'I am totally devastated and shocked, but it has nothing to do with me. I last saw him at a wedding 14 years ago.' The MoS revealed last week that Miller was caught on intercepted phone calls referring to Xi as 'the boss', suggesting he was acting under the control of the Chinese government. Now it can be disclosed that Miller once accompanied Cui on a business trip to Colonel Gaddafi-era Libya, a country with close economic ties to China. A family friend said: 'He [Miller] told me he was starting a business building prefab houses for Africa which he was having made in China.' The detention of Cui and Miller in Belgrade, Serbia – where they remain under house arrest – is believed to have led to a diplomatic row. China's ambassador to Serbia, Li Ming, is said to have clashed with the country's interior minister, Ivica Dacic. A source said Mr Li demanded to know why Cui – whom he called 'our agent' and 'important' to President Xi – was arrested at the behest of the FBI. China is the biggest foreign investor in Serbia. Miller and Cui were seized at the city's Hyatt Regency Hotel on April 24 having flown in from Hungary where they met business associates – and apparently fell into an FBI trap. Sources say agents waited for Cui to leave China for Europe before issuing the arrest order. Both men now face extradition to the US. It is not clear how Cui and Miller first met. The Englishman once ran a company bringing Chinese students to the UK, while his son from his first marriage has been based in China for years and is a close friend of Cui. Court documents claim Miller organised the surveillance and harassment of a Chinese-American artist critical of Beijing, telling a henchman to make him an 'offer he can't refuse... like The Godfather'. Miller has been charged in the US with smuggling, stalking and violations of the Arms Export Control Act. If convicted, both he and Cui face up to 40 years in prison. A 14-page indictment filed in Wisconsin alleges that Miller was caught in a sting after arms dealers he was negotiating with turned out to be undercover FBI agents. Family and friends of Miller, who described him as outgoing and charismatic, expressed astonishment at the news. The son of a builder from the Gorbals in Glasgow, Miller grew up one of six children on a council estate in Coventry, sharing a bedroom with his three brothers. A family friend said he had 'a real drive about him and was always looking for the next big thing'. They added: 'He had a hard time growing up and was driven by success. He wanted a nice life; he wasn't going to stay on a council estate. Eight of them in a three-bed house wasn't easy. And then their mum died when she was only 43. That was tough for all of them. Of them all, Johnny was a bit different, a one-off. 'He always had big ambitions.' Miller went into the Armed Forces, becoming a boxer representing the Royal Navy. It was during this time he met his first wife, 'a Puerto Rican beauty', with whom he had two children. They lived in the US, where Miller retains residency status, but later divorced. His daughter from his second marriage attended one of England's top public schools. Friends describe a chequered business history. Miller has been a director or a majority shareholder of at least nine firms, including a courier company. 'When I last saw him at a wedding over ten years ago, he was flying,' said a friend. 'His company had bases in London and New York, and he drove a nice Saab.' But at some point his fortunes waned and he was reduced to asking family and friends for loans. 'I think he saw an opportunity in China,' said another friend. 'He was hyperactive when it came to work.' The US court documents allege that Miller attempted to procure equipment including surface-to-air missiles, predator drones and a handheld device for the secure communication of 'classified and sensitive national security information'. A second 67-page indictment, filed in California, accuses Miller and Cui, also known as 'Jack', of targeting artist Hui Bo, who had created an 'embarrassing' sculpture of Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan naked from the waist up. Transcripts between Miller and an associate allege they discussed shooting Hui or hitting him with a baseball bat.
