Man accused of plot to blow up mosques and Islamic centres

A man accused of making improvised explosives and plotting to blow up mosques and Islamic centres will stand trial next year.

Ian Forman, 41, of Shavington Avenue in Prenton, Birkenhead has been charged with engaging in the conduct in the preparation of terrorist acts on or before 6 June. He was remanded in custody at the Old Bailey until a hearing on 14 January when he will be asked to enter a plea. His trial has been set for 3 March. The location of the trial has not been confirmed.

Mr Forman was arrested on 5 September by officers from the North West Counter Terrorism Unit over concerns about chemical and explosive substances at a house in Wirral. The court heard he had been charged under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 with a string of offences.

He is accused of possessing potassium nitrate, sulphur and charcoal, making and testing improvised explosive devices, and creating spreadsheets reflecting prices and stockists of the chemicals required. He is also accused of researching mosques and Islamic centres, labelling saved photographs of them “targets” and expressing an intention of “blowing them up” with the use of nails and ball bearings.

BBC News, 27 September 2013

See also “Manchester man held by counter-terrorism officers in connection with chemicals weapons probe”, Manchester Evening News, 9 September 2013

Update:  The Daily Mail reports that the prosecution alleged that Forman labelled the Wirral Islamic Centre and the Penny Lane Mosque as “target one” and “target two”, and made a string of YouTube posts threatening to blow them up. The court was also told that Forman made and tested improvised explosive devices.