Uber driver acquitted of Buckingham Palace terror charge

An Uber driver has been found not guilty of a terror charge after attacking police officers with a 42in sword outside Buckingham Palace.

Mohiussunnath Chowdhury, 27, of Luton, was unanimously acquitted at the Old Bailey of one allegation of preparing acts of terrorism after a retrial.

Mr Chowdhury told jurors he only wanted to be killed by police and did not intend to harm anyone in August 2017.

Two officers suffered cuts to their hands when they fought to disarm him.

Jurors heard the officers - who were unarmed - feared for their lives during the "surreal" confrontation on 25 August last year, as Mr Chowdhury repeatedly shouted "Allahu Akbar", which means "God is greatest" in Arabic.

On Wednesday, Mr Chowdhury bit his lip, raised his eyebrows and then saluted the jurors after they spent 11 hours and 36 minutes considering the verdict.

Jurors heard Mr Chowdhury, of Kirkwood Road, Luton, was born in London to a "close and supportive family" but became "self-radicalised" through watching Islamic State propaganda online.

The defendant told the court he was upset at the government's role in arming Saudi Arabia and felt responsible for the deaths of innocent people in Yemen.

Mr Chowdhury had left his sister a suicide note expressing his hatred for the Queen before setting out, the court heard.