Terror Suspect 'Planned to Attack Tony Blair'

A suspected terrorist planned to attack Tony and Cherie Blair, a court has heard.

The prosecution in the trial of Erol Incedal at the Old Bailey in London said that he potentially planned to attack the former Prime Minister, after Blair’s home address was found on his computer.

Incedal is accused of preparing acts of terrorism and possessing a document on bomb making, and was arrested in September last year. His black Mercedes was searched by police and a number of documents were found, including a piece of paper with the address of Tony and Cherie Blair written on it, the jury heard.

The prosecution said, however, that it remains unclear whether Incedal planned to attack any specific target or whether he wanted a “Mumbai-style” atrocity, where terrorists stormed a hotel shooting indiscriminately. 

Sky News reports that Richard Whittam QC, speaking for the prosecution, told the jury: “Count 1 does not suggest that Erol Incedal had settled on a specific target or a particular methodology but in the context of the case as a whole and the evidence that I am going to come to, you may think that this address does have some significance.”

This is the first trial where part of the proceedings will be held in total secrecy. Although some journalists have been admitted, they will be banned from reporting, and some parts of the trial will never be made public on the grounds of national security.