Man charged with planning to assassinate Theresa May in Downing Street terror attack appear in court

Court hears 20-year-old man planned to bomb Prime Minister's official residence in London

The men were arrested by counter-terror police in London and Birmingham (PA)

A man has appeared in court charged with mounting an alleged terror plot to bomb Downing Street and kill Theresa May.

Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman, 20 was flanked by police officers during a brief hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Prosecutors allege Rahman planned to detonate a bomb at the gates of 10 Downing Street and enter the heavily guarded building in the ensuing chaos to kill the Prime Minister.

He appeared in court alongside Mohammed Aqib Imran, 21, who is charged with attempting to travel to Isis territories.

Both men were arrested in armed police raids raids by Scotland Yard's counterterrorism command in London and Birmingham on 28 November.

Ms May and other members of the Cabinet are believed to have been told of the alleged plot by the head of MI5, Andrew Parker, during a meeting on Tuesday.

Mr Rahman, of Ballards Lane in Finchley, London, gave his nationality as Bangladeshi-British in court and is charged with preparing to commit acts of terrorism and assisting Imran in his attempt to join Isis.

Mr Imran, of Ombersley Road in Sparkbrook, Birmingham, gave his nationality as Pakistani-British and is charged with preparing acts of terrorism.

Both men were remanded in custody and are scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey on 20 December.

Security services say nine terror plots have been foiled in the UK since the Westminster attack in March, with the threat level set at "severe".