A woman and her daughter charged in connection with what is thought to be Britain's first all-female alleged terror plot were told to lift their veils in court by a magistrate who asked to see their eyes.

Londoners Rizlaine Boular, 21, her mother Mina Dich, 43, and 20-year-old associate Khawla Barghouthi were charged in relation to the alleged planning of a suspected knife attack in the Westminster area of London.

The trio appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, flanked by three policewomen and three suited officials.

Both Boular and Dich wore burkas - which cover the entirety of a woman’s body - while Barghouthi wore a hijab, which covers the hair and neck while leaving the face clear.

Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot asked the mother and daughter to lift their veils and they agreed so she could see their faces.

Elite armed officers swooped on Barghouthi's home in Harlesden Road, north west London, on April 27, where they arrested her and shot Boular.