Search
Search

UK TERRORISM LAW

UK police charge two men with belonging to Hezbollah, a proscribed organization under UK law


A man holds signs depicting late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Pope Leo XIV, ahead of the pope's arrival in Lebanon during his first apostolic journey, at Haret Hreik, the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Nov. 30, 2025. (Credit: Khalil Ashawi/Reuters)

Two British-Lebanese men appeared in a London court on Tuesday, charged with being members of the proscribed group Hezbollah and ‌attending "terrorism training camps," with one of the two accused of helping to procure parts for drones.

Annis Makki, 40, is charged with attending ⁠a terrorist training camp at the Birket Jabbour airbase in Lebanon in 2021, being ‍involved in the preparation of terrorist acts, ‌being ‍a member of Hezbollah, and expressing support both for Hezbollah and the banned Palestinian militant group ‌Hamas.

Mohamed Hadi Kassir, 33, is also accused of belonging to Hezbollah and attending a training camp in Baffliyeh in south Lebanon in 2015 and at the Birket Jabbour airbase ‌in 2021. He indicated not guilty pleas to the charges.

Prosecutor Kristel Pous told Westminster Magistrates' Court that Kassir was "an entrenched member of Hezbollah" ​and that images had been found of him "training in a Hezbollah-controlled camp and undertaking hostage ​training exercises ‍in ‍2015."

Pous also said Makki had access to a "wide-ranging Hezbollah network" which was linked to facilitating the acquisition of parts to be used in unmanned aerial vehicles.

Judge Paul Goldspring remanded both men in custody until their next court appearance at London's Old ‌Bailey court on Jan. 16.

The men were arrested at their home addresses in London in April and rearrested last week when they were subsequently charged.

Commander ⁠Dominic Murphy, head of London's Counter Terrorism Policing, said ‌in ‍a statement before Tuesday's hearing: "I want to reassure the public that I do not assess there is an ongoing threat to the wider public as a result ​of the activities of these two individuals."

Two British-Lebanese men appeared in a London court on Tuesday, charged with being members of the proscribed group Hezbollah and ‌attending "terrorism training camps," with one of the two accused of helping to procure parts for drones.Annis Makki, 40, is charged with attending ⁠a terrorist training camp at the Birket Jabbour airbase in Lebanon in 2021, being ‍involved in the preparation of terrorist acts, ‌being ‍a member of Hezbollah, and expressing support both for Hezbollah and the banned Palestinian militant group ‌Hamas.Mohamed Hadi Kassir, 33, is also accused of belonging to Hezbollah and attending a training camp in Baffliyeh in south Lebanon in 2015 and at the Birket Jabbour airbase ‌in 2021. He indicated not guilty pleas to the charges.Prosecutor Kristel Pous told Westminster Magistrates' Court that...