Westminster crash suspect Salih Khater to face trial next year for alleged terror attack outside parliament

Prosecutors treating case as terrorism due to method, targets selected and high-profile location, police say

The suspect appeared in court by video-link (Facebook)

A man accused of attempting to launch a terror attack outside the Houses of Parliament is to go on trial next year.

Salih Khater allegedly ploughed his silver Ford Fiesta into cyclists and pedestrians before swerving towards police officers and crashing into a security barrier last month.

The 29-year-old appeared at the Old Bailey charged with two counts of attempted murder.

The charges state he tried to kill people at the junction of Parliament Square and Abingdon Street, and police officers in Abingdon Street on 14 August.

Police said prosecutors will be treating his case as terrorism due to the method of the alleged attack, the targets selected and the high-profile location.

The Sudanese-born suspect, who is a British citizen, was arrested by armed police following the incident, which left three people with non-life threatening injuries.

Mr Khater, of Highgate Street in Birmingham, appeared in court by video-link from Belmarsh Prison and spoke only to confirm his name during Thursday’s hearing.

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave remanded Mr Khater in custody and set a provisional trial date for 4 February 2019.

Mr Khater is next due to appear at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing in December.

Additional reporting by PA