Terrorism bid duo appear in court

• 3 hours ago
 
• From the section Derby

Image captionRowaida El-Hassan (left) is from London and Munir Hassan Mohammed is from Derby

A man and a woman who were arrested during anti-terrorism raids have appeared in court charged with making preparations for a terrorism attack.

Munir Hassan Mohammed, 35, and Rowaida El-Hassan, 32, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

They face charges relating to the alleged acquisition and possession of chemicals capable of use in explosives.

The pair were remanded in custody and will next appear at the Old Bailey on 12 January.

Image captionMunir Hassan Mohammed and Rowaida El-Hassan appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court

Neither Mr Mohammed nor Ms El-Hassan, who were flanked by five police officers in the dock, indicated a plea.

Mr Mohammed, of Leopold Street, Derby, and Ms El-Hassan, of Willesden Lane, London, were arrested by detectives from the North East Counter Terrorism Unit.

Mr Mohammed, an Eritrean national who is seeking asylum in the UK, and Ms El-Hassan are jointly charged with preparing an act of terrorism between 7 July and 12 December 2016

• Mr Mohammed is further charged with membership of a proscribed organisation, namely Daesh, also known as the Islamic State group
• He faces four other charges relating to the possession of information useful to terrorism and dissemination of terrorist publications
• Ms El-Hassan is further charged with one count of possession of information useful to terrorism

Four other men who were arrested at the same time have been released without charge.