LONDON: Three men — Karl Blackbird, Clark McAulay and Doneto Brammer — have been charged with offences linked to seriously violent incidents at the homes of Major (retd) Adil Raja in Chesham and Shahzad Akbar in Cambridge.
The Metropolitan Police told Geo News that due to what appears to be the highly targeted nature of the incidents, the matters are being investigated by detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing London.
The police said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised the charged against three men: Karl Blackbird, (21.06.1985), of Cattell Way, Bedworth charged with conspiracy to assault and occasion bodily harm at Adil Raja’s home in Chesham on 24 December, 2025; Clark McAulay (19.08.1986) of Dalton Gardens, Coventry charged with conspiracy to assault and occasion bodily harm — at Adil Raja’s address in Chesham on 24 December, 2025; and Doneto Brammer (17.05.2004) of Maryland Road, Wood Green, London, charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to commit arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered — all in relation to Akbar’s address in Cambridge on 31 December, 2025.
All three men, who are British nationals, were charged on January 22.
The police said that on 24th December 2025, Akbar was assaulted outside his home in Cambridge. On 31st December 2025, two men are believed to have broken a window at the same address, which was unoccupied at the time, as Akbar was away with his family.
It is believed that one of the men was in possession of a firearm, which was used to cause the damage to the window. One of the suspects then attempted to throw a burning rag through the window, although it fell to the floor outside the property and did not cause any damage.
The police said in a statement: “Detectives are keeping an open mind as to any potential motivation behind the incidents. Officers are also keeping an open mind as to whether any of the incidents are potentially linked, and this remains an active line of inquiry being considered.
The police said that on 5th January, a 34-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident that took place at Akbar’s home in Cambridge on 31st December. He was arrested at an address in Great Dunmow, Essex, and has subsequently been released on bail until a date in April, pending further enquiries.
On 21st January, four men (including Karl Blackbird and Doneto Brammer) and one woman (whose identity is unknown) were arrested in the West Midlands, Warwickshire and London areas on suspicion of various offences.
The five arrests are connected to investigations into various incidents that took place at the addresses of Akbar and Raja in late December 2025 and January 2026, and all five people were taken to a London police station, the police said.
“The arrests in the Warwickshire and West Midlands Police force areas were also carried out with support from officers in those force areas, as well as colleagues from Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands.
The five people arrested on January 20 are as follows: a 40-year-old man arrested at address in Warwickshire on suspicion of conspiracy to assault in connection with the incident at Raja’s home in Chesham on December 24; a 39-year-old man arrested at address in Coventry on suspicion of conspiracy to assault in connection with the incident at Raja’s home in Chesham on December 24; a 30-year-old man arrested at an address in Birmingham on suspicion of conspiracy to assault in connection with the incident at Akbar’s home in Cambridge on December 24; a 21-year-old man arrested at an address in north London on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson and firearms offences in connection with the incident in Cambridge at Akbar’s home on December 31; a 40-year-old woman arrested at an address in north London on suspicion of possession of a firearm in connection with the incident at Akbar’s home in Cambridge on December 31.
Three people have been charged, and two released on bail to date in April. A sixth person was arrested on January 23 in Warwickshire on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and conspiracy to assault, in connection with the incident at Akbar’s home in Cambridge on December 24. He was taken to a London police station, where he remains in custody.
Following the arrest of nearly half a dozen suspects, officers also carried out a number of searches at addresses in Birmingham (four), Coventry (one), Warwickshire (one), and London (two) areas.
Raja said in a statement: “I welcome the charges. These were serious and targeted attacks, underscoring the real risks. I will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities as the case proceeds.”
