A Brazilian asylum seeker sparked panic at MI5’s London HQ by planting a fake bomb outside Thames House on New Year’s Day. Julian Valente Pereira, 32, left a suspicious stick of dynamite that shut down central London in a major security lockdown.
Fake Bomb and Dark Documents Left at MI5
Pereira, from Uxbridge Road, dropped a brown cylindrical object with a string outside the MI5 building on Millbank on January 1, 2026. He also shoved a 30-page dossier against a door labelled ‘HMCTS’. The first page described chilling “psychological torture” techniques.
Chaos as Security Locks Down Central London
The fake bomb triggered a huge emergency response, forcing road closures across central London. Pereira was caught with a lighter on him, raising fears of a real threat. Prosecutor Nia King revealed he admitted holding deep “grievances with the Home Office” and said he “hates them completely.”
“The defendant was seen throwing a cylindrical brown object with a string attached and had a lighter,” said Ms King. “He then forced approximately 30 pages of documents against the door marked ‘HMCTS’, with the first page detailing methods of psychological torture.”
Defiant in Court, Denies Bomb Hoax Charge
At Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Pereira appeared wearing a Knights Templar hoodie with mock-armour sleeves. He faces charges of committing a bomb hoax by placing an item likely to cause fear of explosion or ignition. He denies all charges.
District Judge Tan Ikram remanded Pereira in custody ahead of his trial at City of London Magistrates’ Court on February 19, 2026.
