British security services believe they have foiled a plot to assassinate Theresa May in Downing Street, British daily The Independent reported on Wednesday.

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of plotting to kill the Prime Minister by using a bomb disguised as a bag to blow off the gates of Downing Street and then attack her with knives.

The two accused of the plot are aged 20 and 21, the Daily Star reported.

The men, 20-year-old Naa’imur Zakariyah Rahman, from north London, and a 21-year-old Mohammed Aqib Imran, from Birmingham stand charged with preparing acts of terrorism by the London Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command.

The suspects were detained during raids by the CTC in London and Birmingham last week and are due to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

One suspect was caught allegedly carrying two homemade bombs last week, and another is accused of trying to join ISIS.

Cops allege the suspected terrorists planned to plant a bomb on Downing Street to confuse emergency services. They would then storm the street with knives, suicide vests and pepper spray in a bid to kill Prime Minister May.

The plot was revealed to the Cabinet on Tuesday by Andrew Parker, the head of MI5, who also told ministers that security services have foiled nine terrorist attacks in the last year.

Mr Parker said that MI5 has set the UK’s terror level at “severe” – meaning a terrorist attack is “highly likely”.

He said that British spies have foiled 22 terrorist plots in the past four years – with more than 500 live investigations.

source: Alarabiya