London Parsons Green attack accused lost his parents in Iraq

  • 23/09/2017
Armed police guard the scene at Parsons Green
Armed police guard the scene. Photo credit: Reuters

An 18-year-old man who came to Britain after his parents were killed in Iraq has appeared in a London court charged with attempted murder in last week's bomb attack on a packed commuter train in London.

Ahmed Hassan is accused of carrying out the attack at Parsons Green station in London last Friday which injured 30 people.

Wearing a grey sweatshirt and with shoulder-length curly dark hair, on Friday he spoke only to confirm his name and address at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Hassan, from Sunbury-on-Thames, a town to the southwest of London, is charged with attempting to murder passengers on board a train heading to central London from the southwest suburb of Wimbledon.

He is also accused of causing an explosion likely to endanger life using the highly volatile triacetone triperoxide (TATP) - known as "the mother of Satan" - or another explosive substance.

Prosecutor Lee Ingham told the court Hassan had expressed hatred for Britain and his "warped view" had motivated him to carry out the attack.

There was no application for bail and the case was adjourned until October 13.

The home-made bomb engulfed a carriage in flames, but apparently failed to fully explode. It was Britain's fifth major militant attack so far this year.

Police are continuing to question two other men, aged 25 and 30. A 17-year-old, who was detained on Thursday, was released on Friday and will face no further action.

Two other men, arrested as part of the inquiry, were also released from custody on Thursday.

Reuters