A man appeared in court on Christmas Eve accused of planning a terrorist attack.

Hassan Muhammed Sabri al-Tabbakh, 38, is accused of stock-piling chemicals and compiling bomb-making instructions.

Al-Tabbakh, of Syrian origin, was arrested near his home in Birmingham on Dec 18. He was questioned for four days before being charged under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 with “conduct for the preparation of an intention to commit an act of terrorism.”

The charge alleges that he “compiled and retained a document with instructions for making detonating bombs and obtaining chemicals for making an explosive device.”

Al-Tabbakh appeared in the dock wearing a blue cardigan and spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth through an interpreter.

His lawyer said he spoke good English but had post-traumatic stress disorder and was “agitated” in police custody prior to the hearing.

The judge remanded him in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Jan 4 for a preliminary hearing. There was no application for bail and no plea was indicated.

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