14 Oct 2014

Tony Blair ‘possible target of terror attack’

Former prime minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie may have been the targets of a terror attack by a British man, the Old Bailey is told.

Erol Incedal, who is on trial accused of preparing acts of terrorism and possessing a document entitled Bomb Making, may also have been planning an indiscriminate, Mumbai-style attack, the court heard.

The 26-year-old, from London, denies the charges.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam QC, opening the trial, which will mainly be heard in secret, told jurors Mr Incedal was stopped in September 2013, for a road traffic offence.

Address

Inside the black Mercedes he was travelling in police found a number of items, including a piece of paper with the address of a property owned by the Blairs on it. It was found inside Mr Incedal’s glasses case, the court heard.

Mr Whittam said: “Count 1 does not suggest that Erol Incedal had settled on a specific target or a particular methodology, but in the context of the case as a whole and the evidence that I am going to come to, you may think that this address does have some significance.”

During the search, a listening device was put in the car, the court was told.