Alleged terrorist wanted to 'kill as many people as possible' in Westminster attack

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Sudanese national Salih Khater, of Birmingham, in the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court

An alleged terrorist drove at cyclists and police outside the Houses of Parliament in a "premeditated and deliberate" attack designed to cause maximum carnage, a court has heard.

Salih Khater, 30, of Highgate Street, Birmingham, allegedly steered his car at members of the public before swerving towards police officers and crashing into a security barrier on August 14 last year.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan QC told the Old Bailey that Khater intended to "kill as many people as possible".

Opening his trial she said:

Forensic officers at the scene of the crash. Credit: PA Images

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 Khater's reason for the attack was unclear. But she suggested that by targeting officers guarding the Palace of Westminster the defendant had a "terrorist motive". She added: "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."

Police cordon on Westminster Bridge Credit: PA Images

Jurors were shown CCTV footage of the defendant's silver Ford Fiesta driving at cyclists before crashing into barriers as two uniformed police officers dived out of the way.

The court heard how Khater was born in Sudan and was granted asylum in Britain in 2010, after claiming he had been tortured over his association with a political group called the Justice and Equality Movement.

In the months before the attack, the defendant's mood changed and he showed signs of "paranoia" about British authorities, it was claimed.He had failed his accountancy exams at the University of Coventry and his work as a security guard had dried up, it was said.

On May 24 last year, he emailed Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to express concern about an "event" involving the intelligence service, saying he was going to complain to police as well, the court heard. Ms Morgan said: "There is no record of any such complaint being made. The response from a Labour Party representative was understandably vague."

The court heard the email response thanked Khater for his email to Mr Corbyn and stated: "We are sorry to hear about your personal issue."The day before the attack, Khater had travelled to Peterborough andunsuccessfully applied for a fast-track UK passport, the court heard.

He then set off from Birmingham to London just before 10pm, arriving after midnight. 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.

CCTV captured Khater arriving in Parliament Square just before 1am and driving around Westminster, allegedly checking the layout for the attack five of six hours later.

Khater then parked up and rested for four-and-a-half hours in Windmill Street in Soho before returning to Parliament Square for further reconnaissance, it was claimed.

He allegedly went on to do four laps of the square before launching the rush hour attack.

The Sudanese-born defendant, of Highgate Street, Birmingham, has denied two counts of attempted murder and two alternative charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.