Westminster ‘terrorist’ wanted to ‘kill as many people as possible’
A man tried to cause maximum carnage when he allegedly drove at cyclists and police outside the Houses of Parliament, a court has heard.
A man tried to cause maximum carnage when he allegedly drove at cyclists and police outside the Houses of Parliament, a court has heard.
Salih Khater, 30, wanted to ‘kill as many people as possible’ on August 14 last year, jurors at the Old Bailey were told.
He is accused of steering his Ford Fiesta at members of the public before swerving towards police officers and crashing into a security barrier.
Opening his trial, Prosecutor Alison Morgan QC said: ‘On August 14 2018, Salih Khater carried out a premeditated and deliberate attack on civilians and police officers in Parliament Square.
‘His weapon was not a gun or a knife but his car.
She added: ‘He caused widespread fear and chaos but miraculously, and contrary to his intentions, he did not kill anyone that day.
‘Those who were faced with a vehicle being driven at them at high velocity somehow, and largely by their quick responses, managed to avoid death or very serious injury.’
Ms Morgan told jurors there was probably a ‘terrorist motive’ after Khater allegedly targeted officers.
CCTV of the incident played in court showed police officers diving out the way before a silver Ford Fiesta crashed into a barrier.
Ms Morgan said: ‘Using his car in the way that he did, driving in the manner and direction he did, the prosecution alleged that it is obvious that he intended to kill as many people as possible.’
Khater had emailed Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on May 24, 2018, to express concern about an ‘event’ involving the intelligence service and said he would complain to police.
Ms Morgan said a complaint was never made and Mr Corbyn’s team responded to him saying: ‘We are sorry to hear about your personal issue.’
Khater had unsuccessfully applied for a fast-track UK passport the day before the incident before he travelled down to London.
Evidence from his mobile phone showed he had looked up maps for 10 Downing Street and Westminster on the internet as potential ‘deliberate targets’, jurors were told.
He allegedly done four laps of Parliament Square before launching the attack during the morning rush hour.
Sudanese-born Khater, from Birmingham, was granted asylum in the UK in 2010, has denied two counts of attempted murder and two alternative charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.