Man threatened to visit synagogue wearing suicide vest, court told
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that 29-year-old Dilan Lakhani made the threat to security staff outside a north London shul
A man has been remanded into custody after a court heard he had threatened to visit a London synagogue wearing a suicide vest.
Dilan Lakhani, 29, made the threat after asking security outside the synagogue what the building was, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
Prosecutor Nia King told the court: “On the 21 April, the defendant walked past the shul, approached security standing by the gate and said words to the effect of ‘what is this place?’.
“After a brief conversation, the defendant said ‘I am going to come back with my friend with a suicide vest’, before walking away.”
During the hearing on Wednesday, Lakhani, from Harrow, pleaded not guilty to charges of using threatening words to cause alarm and distress and religiously aggravated intentional harassment.
He appeared by videolink from HMP Wormwood Scrubs, where he has been held since 2 May.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram remanded Lakhani into custody before his appearance at Wood Green Crown Court on 3 June.
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