A man has been charged with planning to carry out a terror attack armed with a knife, West Midlands Police say.

Ummariyat Mirza was arrested by counter-terror police in Alum Rock Road, Birmingham, last Wednesday.

The 21-year-old, from St Agathas Road, Birmingham, is accused of buying a blade and conducting research to carry out a deadly assault.

West Midlands Police said he is also charged with possessing the bomb-making guide the Anarchist Cookbook and an extremist document called the Mujahideen Poisons handbook.

Police have also charged Zainub Mirza from Eastfield Road, Bordesley Green, with sending Islamic State propaganda videos and executions to others.


The 23-year-old is accused of sending the extremist material, including a picture of a man holding two severed heads, to encourage terror attacks.

The arrests on 29 March were said not to be linked to the Westminster attack last month, in which four people died after a terrorist drove his car into crowds and fatally stabbed a police officer.

Police said five homes and a business address were searched by counter-terrorism officers as part of the investigation.

The pair will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday.