TerrorismUkrainian man in U.K. court charged with anti-Muslim terrorism
Pavlo Lapshyn, a 25-year-old postgraduate student from Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, appeared in a Westminster, U.K. court Tuesday and charged with the terror-related April murder of an 82-year-old Mohammed Saleem as Saleem was walking home from a mosque. Lapshyn has also been charged with three additional offenses related to three explosions near mosques in Walsall, Wolverhampton, and Tipton.
Pavlo Lapshyn, a 25-year-old postgraduate student from Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, appeared in a Westminster, U.K. court Tuesday and charged with the terror-related April murder of an 82-year-old Mohammed Saleem as Saleem was walking home from a mosque.
Lapshyn has also been charged with three additional offenses related to three explosions near mosques in Walsall, Wolverhampton, and Tipton.
Lapshyn is in the United Kingdom on a sponsored work placement at a software firm based in the Small Heath area of Birmingham. He was arrested last week.
The Guardian reports that Lapshyn spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and to request to speak to his lawyer during the 10-minute hearing.
Prosecutors told the magistrate that Lapshyn carried out a series of acts with the intention to commit acts of terrorism between 24 April and 18 July, related to the three explosions. These acts include purchasing batteries, a lunch bag, clock, and container as part of the construction of an explosive device, carrying out Internet research, and visiting intended locations to plant explosive devices, purchasing chemicals to make explosive devices, and modifying mobile phones to act as detonators.
Lapshyn is also charged with two separate offenses of unlawfully and maliciously causing an explosion with the intent to danger life or cause serious injury to a person or property on 21 June and 12 July, in Walsall and Tipton respectively.
He was ordered to stay in custody and will next appear at a bail hearing at the Old Bailey today (Thursday). He is due to appear at a preliminary trial hearing at the Old Bailey on 2 August.
The police had also arrested another man, a 22-year old Ukrainian, in connection with the three explosions, but the police released him without charge.
The two were initially detained on 18 July on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation, or instigation of an act of terrorism.
Saleem was fatally stabbed only yards from his house as he walked home alone after worship on 29 April.
