Woman charged in London with planning to bomb St Paul's cathedral

Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Pedestrians use the Millennium Bridge on the South Bank, opposite St Paul's Cathedral, in London

LONDON (Reuters) - A woman appeared in court on Wednesday charged with terrorism offences including scoping out St Paul's cathedral as a possible bomb target.

Safiyya Amira Shaikh, 36, was remanded in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court to appear again at the Old Bailey court on Nov. 1, police said.

Shaikh, of Hayes, west London, was charged with preparing terrorist acts between August and October this year including making contact with someone she believed could help her make explosives.

The preparations also included travelling to London and staying at a hotel to conduct reconnaissance, police added in a statement.

The statement of charges said she "noted the hotel’s suitability as a target for a bomb (and) attended St Paul’s to scope it, for security and for the best place to plant a second bomb."

She is also charged with preparing the words of a pledge of allegiance to Islamic State.

(Reporting by Stephen Addison; Editing by Alistair Smout)