Eight more charged after defence firm break-in

Eight more people have been charged over an alleged break-in at an Israel-based defence firm’s UK site as part of a pro-Palestinian protest.

Elbit Systems UK, near Patchway, Bristol, was allegedly attacked by members of Palestine Action in the early hours of 6 August, the Old Bailey heard previously.

The Crown Prosecution Service said it would submit to the court that the alleged offences had a terrorist connection when the defendants appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later.

Israel-based Elbit Systems is a global defence contractor. Elbit Systems UK is run separately and previously told the BBC that claims the facilities supply the Israeli military are “completely false”.

Six people have been charged with aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder:

• Sean Middlebrough, 32, of Woodlee Road, Liverpool

• Aleksandra Herbich, 40, of Warfield Road, London

• Huba Muraisi, 30, of Bedford Avenue, London

• Qesser Zuhrah, 19, of Llandover Road, London

• Zahra Farooque, 24, of Delorme Street, London

• Kamran Ahmed, 27, of Langdon Crescent, London

Tutea Hoxa, 28, from Beckenham, south-east London, and Julija Brigadirova, 32, of Manchester, have been charged with aggravated burglary and criminal damage.

A previous hearing was told a vehicle was driven into the doors of buildings and two responding police officers and a security guard were injured.

Ten others have appeared in court and are due to stand trial in 2025 charged over the same incident, including one charged with wounding a police sergeant.

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