A Norwegian teenager was arrested in a West Yorkshire hotel room armed with a Luger pistol and a revolver, a court heard.
Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 18, was arrested by firearms officers in Huddersfield on March 19, with the investigation being taken over by Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command shortly afterwards.
The specialist division deals with espionage and threats from hostile states.
Natland, from Stavanger in southwestern Norway, appeared at the Old Bailey today charged with possessing a Luger 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a revolver, and ammunition.
Wearing a grey tracksuit, Natland appeared via videolink from Wormwood Scrubs and spoke only to confirm his identity and confirm he understood proceedings without the need for an interpreter.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said she was content to leave the case in the terrorism case management list while investigations continue in the UK and abroad into what is suspected to have been behind the alleged offences.
She noted the defendant had not been charged with conspiracy to murder and there was no information about who an alleged intended target could have been.
The judge told Natland: ‘I bear in mind that you are just 18 years of age and everything going on will be confusing and complex for you to understand but your solicitors are independent of the court and they are doing their best for you.’
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said the case would be heard by a High Court judge at Nottingham Crown Court, with a trial date to be fixed later.
Natland was remanded into custody until a further hearing at the Old Bailey on June 6 before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.
Scotland Yard has previously said that because of ongoing lines of inquiry, including a number of international inquiries, the investigation was being dealt with by detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing.
However, the case is not being treated as terrorist-related at this time, a spokesman for the Met Police has said.
The investigation is being supported by colleagues with North East Counter Terrorism Policing and West Yorkshire Police.