Man arrested at palace with sword meant to go to Windsor Castle – but ended up at pub

The man, who used a sword against police outside Buckingham Palace last week, appeared in court yesterday, with evidence revealing he originally wanted to go to Windsor Castle – but his SatNav made a mistake.

Mohiussunnath Chowdhury, 26, left his home in Luton and typed ‘Windsor Castle’ into his sat nav, but ended up outside a pub of the same name in the ancient royal town.

After realising the mistake, the Uber driver then headed to London and Buckingham Palace; here he reportedly drove towards a marked police car on Constitution Hill at around 8.30pm on Friday, Westminster Magistrates Court heard.

The man arrested outside Buckingham Palace. with a sword intended to go to Windsor Castle – but his SatNav sent him to a pub. Picture by i-Images

He was found with a samurai sword in the footwell of the blue Toyota Prius he was driving.

As Chowdhury reached for the 4ft sword, he yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’, say police, before he was tackled by officers and sprayed with CS (tear) gas. The two injured policemen were treated on the scene, but not taken to hospital, for wounds to their arms.

The suspect allegedly wrote a suicide note to his sister before leaving, that said: “By the time you read this Insha’Allah I will be with Allah.

“Do not cry and be strong. The Shaheed [witness or martyr] will take 70 members of his family with him to paradise. I will take you there Insha’Allah. Tell everyone I love them and that they should struggle against the enemies of Allah. The Queen and her soldiers will all be in the hellfire they go to war with Muslims around the world and kill them without any mercy.”

The terror suspect mean to go to the ancient seat of royal power – Windsor Castle (Karen Roe)

No members of the Royal Family were at the palace when the attack happened, as August is their summer break. Her Majesty and Prince Philip were at Balmoral. 

The defendant has been charged with one count of preparing to commit an act or acts of terrorism, and the case will next be heard at the Old Bailey on 21 September.