A 29-year-old man who was arrested from the scene after his car crashed into the security barriers surrounding Britain's Houses of Parliament last week today appeared in court here on charges of attempted murder and later remanded in police custody.
Salih Khater, a British national of Sudanese descent, was initially held on terror charges as Scotland Yard's Counter-Terrorism Command took charge of the investigation.
The MetropolitanPolice said his case was being treated as terrorism due to the location, methodology and alleged targeting of civilians and police officers.
Khater, who lives in Birmingham, appeared before the Westminster Magistrates' Court. He is charged with one count of attempting to kill persons outside Parliament and a second count of attempting to kill police officers.
The youth made no application for bail and was remanded in custody. He will appear before the Old Bailey court in London on August 31.
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The Metpolitan Police said the prosecutors will be treating his case as terrorism when it returns to court.
Three people were injured on August 14 when Khater drove his car at high speed and ploughed into several pedestrians and cyclists before crashing into security barriers outside the UK's Parliament during rush hour, injuring three persons.
He was arrested by armed officers and the victims were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
According to his Facebook profile, Khater worked as a shop manager in Birmingham and had studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology.
He is the son of a sorghum farmer and had moved to Britain about five years ago, having studied electrical engineering in Sudanese capital Khartoum.
Some reports suggested that friends and relatives of Khater had been concerned about his mental state, following recent deaths in his family based in Sudan.
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