Man accused of encouraging terror plot against Prince George

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Photo by Richard Pohle – WPA Pool/Getty Images(LONDON) — A British national accused of encouraging extremists to target Prince George at school pleaded not guilty to the charges against him Wednesday.

Husnain Rashid was charged with one count of preparing acts of terrorism and one count of assisting others in the preparation of terrorism.

Prosecutors allege that Rashid used the encrypted service Telegram to post a photo of Prince George next to an ISIS militant’s silhouette, warning “even the Royal Family will not be left alone.”

Prosecutor Rebecca Mundy said Rashid’s alleged threat included “a photograph of the young Prince George at the beginning of his school term, next to a silhouette of a jihadi fighter,” according to the U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper.

“Next to that was a caption, ‘school starts early’. It provides an address in Battersea for a school to which the young prince attends,” Mundy added.

Rashid was also accused of providing information to would-be terrorists preparing attacks on potential targets including sports stadiums in the United Kingdom.

The 4-year-old prince, who is third in line to the throne, has royal protection officers with him at all times.

In September, a woman was arrested inside his school grounds in a separate incident. She was later released under caution after it was determined she was not a threat. The school works with the Metropolitan Police’s Royalty Protection Unit, which provides security for members of the royal family.

Rashid was remanded into custody. His next court appearance will be Dec. 20.

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