Howard Michael Phillips, a 64-year-old man, has been charged by the Metropolitan Police under the National Security Act 2023 in relation to suspected terrorism linked to Russia, according to a recent police press report. Following his court appearance at Westminister Magistrates’ Court, Philips was denied bail by Judge Daniel Sternberg and is due to appear at the Old Bailey, the UK’s Central Criminal Court, on June 14.
On May 16, Philips was arrested without a warrant. This action was facilitated by Section 27 of the National Security Act 2023, a provision that has garnered significant controversy. Under this section, authorities have the power to detain individuals who are “reasonably suspected to be involved in foreign power threat activity.”
After his arrest, a warrant of further detention was granted, allowing the police to hold Phillips until May 23. Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Philips was charged under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023 – a section that pertains to “materially assisting a foreign service”. The charges levied against Phillips suggest cooperation with Russia.
While specific details regarding the arrest and charges have not been released further by the police, they have made it clear Phillips’ arrest is “not connected to any other recent charges or investigations” and there poses “no threat to the wider public”. This case follows an unrelated incident in April where two British men were charged for aiding Russian intelligence services after a suspected arson attack on a London business connected to Ukraine.
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