Three men who ‘plotted to attack Pakistani dissidents at UK homes’ face court
Asaf Afsar, 40, Mark Regan, 53, and Liam McGarry, 25, are all said to have been hired for a “sophisticated” plan to inflict violence on human rights lawyer Mirza Shahzad Akbar and journalist Adil Raja
Three men accused of involvement in plots to attack two Pakistani dissidents at their homes in the UK have been remanded in custody.
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Asaf Afsar, 40, Mark Regan, 53, and Liam McGarry, 25, are all said to have been hired for a “sophisticated” 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.
It is said that 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.
Mr Raja was not home, while Mr Akbar was punched repeatedly in the face when he answered the door, Westminster Magistrates’ Court has heard.
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Afsar and Regan, both of Birmingham, are each charged with two counts of conspiracy to cause actual bodily harm, while McGarry, of Warwick, faces a single charge of conspiracy to cause actual bodily harm over the alleged attack on Mr Akbar.
“Two men have been targeted in December”, said prosecutor Warren Stanier.
“The Crown’s case is that these were planned, simultaneous assaults at 8am on that day, with plans to attend their home addresses and assault them on their doorsteps.
“The prosecution say this was a sophisticated and planned enterprise, to undertake these violent planned incidents.”
Four other men have already been charged after the police investigation into the alleged plots.
Regan’s son Louis, 25, from Birmingham, and Karl Blackbird, 40, from Bedworth, face two charges of conspiracy to commit assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Clark McAulay, 39, from Coventry, faces one charge of conspiracy to commit assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the incident in Chesham.
Doneto Brammer, 21, from Wood Green, north London, faces charges of possession of a prohibited weapon, conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to commit arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
The court has heard Louis Regan is accused of being the person who attacked Mr Akbar while disguised as a workman and wearing a mask.
Brammer is accused over a second incident on New Year’s Eve last year when it is said Mr Akbar’s home was set alight and Brammer was carrying a firearm.
On Thursday, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring remanded Afsar, Mark Regan, and McGarry into custody, with an order that they join the other defendants at a hearing at the Old Bailey on February 13.
None of the defendants entered pleas at the brief hearing.