London: Police charge teen over Parsons Green attack

Ahmed Hassan, 18, appears in court after being charged with attempted murder following attack that injured 30.

An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London
At least 30 people were injured in the attack at Parsons Green in London [File: Luke MacGregor/Reuters]

British police have charged an 18-year-old man with attempted murder and causing an explosion over last week’s bomb attack on the London Underground.

Ahmed Hassan of Sunbury, Surrey, appeared in court on Friday after being accused of planting the bomb at Parsons Green station a week ago.

Hassan is accused of attempting to “murder persons travelling on a District Line train” on September 15, and of using a chemical compound known as TATP to cause an explosion likely to endanger life, police said.

Hassan was arrested on Saturday at the port of Dover, the departure point for ferries to France.

READ MORE: Met: Parsons Green explosion a ‘terrorist incident’

After his arrest, police searched the suburban Surrey home of a couple who had fostered more than 200 children, including refugees from the Middle East.

Thirty people were injured when the homemade bomb – hidden in a plastic bucket that was placed in a plastic supermarket bag – partly detonated at the height of the morning rush hour.

The attack led to a huge hunt for the perpetrators and prompted officials to briefly raise the national terrorism threat to the highest level, “critical”.

London police chief Cressida Dick said Friday that the “very dangerous” bomb was packed with shrapnel and the carnage could have been much worse.

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. 

Police: London train blast intended to cause maximum damage


Source: Reuters