Six men deny plot to attack Pakistani dissidents at their UK homes
The men are said to have been part of a plan to inflict violence on human rights lawyer Mirza Shahzad Akbar and journalist Adil Raja.
Last updated 7 hours ago
Six men have denied being involved in plots to attack two Pakistani dissidents at their homes in the UK.
The men are said to have been part of a plan to inflict violence on human rights lawyer Mirza Shahzad Akbar and journalist Adil Raja.
Mr Akbar was previously a member of the cabinet under jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan while Mr Raja is an outspoken critic of the current Pakistani government who has written extensively about alleged corruption in the country’s military.
At the Old Bailey on Friday, Louis Regan, 26, his father Mark Regan, 53, both of Birmingham, Karl Blackbird, 41, and Liam McGarry, 26, each denied conspiracy to assault Mr Akbar and occasion him actual bodily harm.
The father and son, Blackbird, from Bedworth, and another defendant, Clark McCaulay, 39, from Coventry, also denied the same charge in relation to Mr Raja.
It is said groups of hired attackers went to the homes of both men in a plan to simultaneously assault them at 8am on Christmas Eve last year.
Also charged is Dylan Martin, 33, who denied attempted arson on Mr Akbar’s home, and possession of a revolver, linked to an incident in Cambridgeshire on New Year’s Eve last year.
Asid Afsar, 40, of Birmingham, and Doneto Brammer, 22, of London, who are also charged in connection with the incidents, will enter pleas at a later date, the court heard.
All the defendants were remanded into custody.
The Regans, Blackbird, McGarry and McCaulay face trial on January 12 2027 at Nottingham Crown Court.
Martin and Brammer face trial at the same court on March 8.