Birmingham men who allegedly plotted to attack Pakistani dissidents to face trial
A group of men are facing trial over an alleged plot to attack two Pakistani dissidents at their homes in the UK.
The targets are alleged to have been human rights lawyer Mirza Shahzad Akbar and journalist Adil Raja.
It is alleged groups of hired attackers went to their homes in a plan to simultaneously assault them on Christmas Eve last year.
Mr Raja was not home, while Mr Akbar was punched repeatedly in the face when he answered the door, a court has previously heard.
Mr Akbar was previously a member of the cabinet under jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan while Mr Raja is an outspoken critic of the current Pakistani government who has written extensively about alleged corruption in the country’s military.
Asif Afsar, 40; Mark Regan, 54; his son, Louis Regan, 25; Karl Scott Blackbird, 40; and Liam McGarry, 25; are charged with conspiracy to assault and occasion actual bodily harm to Mr Akbar between December 9 and December 25 2025.
The two Regans, Afsar and Blackbird, along with Clark Anthony McAulay, 39, are charged with a similar conspiracy offence relating to Mr Raja.
The men appeared at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing on Friday before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.
The senior judge set a plea hearing at the Old Bailey on July 17 and a provisional trial at Birmingham Crown Court from April 6 next year.
The Regans and Afsar, from Birmingham; Blackbird and McAulay from Coventry; and McGarry from Warwick; were remanded into custody.
Another defendant, Doneto Brammer, 21, from Wood Green, north London, is charged over a second incident on New Year’s Eve last year.
It is alleged on that occasion Mr Akbar’s home was set alight and Brammer was carrying a firearm.
Brammer is accused of conspiracy to commit arson, both with intent to endanger life and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
The charge alleges that he plotted with “others unknown” to damage a dwelling belonging to Mr Akbar by fire between December 24 2025 and January 1 2026.
Brammer is also charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, described as a revolver.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said his case would be heard separately with a provisional Birmingham Crown Court trial from next June 6.
All the defendants appeared in court by video-link and Brammer too was remanded into custody.
