Two men in court over alleged plot on Downing Street

Two men are to appear in court today, facing charges related to an alleged explosive plot to kill UK Prime Minister Theresa May.

Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman, 20, from north London, is accused of planning to bomb Downing Street security gates and then attack the PM with a knife.

A second man, Mohammed Aqib Imran, 21, of Birmingham, is also accused of the preparation of terrorist acts for allegedly planning to travel overseas.

The two were arrested on 28 November and are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court, in central London today.

MI5 chief Andrew Parker told May and the Cabinet on Tuesday that about nine alleged Islamist terror plots have been foiled since March, but several attackers have still got through.

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "It's the latest in a number of terror plots that police and MI5 believe they've foiled this year.”

"It is in essence an extreme Islamist suicide plot against Downing Street. Essentially police believe that the plan was to launch some sort of improvised explosive device at Downing Street and in the ensuing chaos attack and kill Theresa May.”

"This is something which has been pursued over several weeks at least by Scotland Yard, MI5 and West Midlands Police.”