Islamic State supporter plotted ‘lone wolf’ attack on barracks using drone to drop weapons, court told

A terror attack trial started today in London and another rape gang trial should have started today in Huddersfield. I’ll see what I can find once I have posted this. From the Telegraph and the London Evening Standard.

Hisham Muhammad, 25, allegedly sketched designs and built prototypes to work out how they could be used to launch an attack on an army barracks in Greater Manchester.

He also amassed a stash of weapons at his rented home in Whitefield, Bury, including axes, bear claws and a machete, a jury at the Old Bailey heard.

His landlord called the police when he found knives and what he thought was a bomb at the three-bedroom terrace property, where Muhammad lived with his 24-year-old cousin Faisal Abu Ahmad.

Among the items seized by officers were two painted eggs containing crushed chilli seeds and shards of glass – described as “Japanese ninja eggs” – which could be used to blind targets before attacking them.

The Bermudan national, who moved to Britain in 2013 (from Gambia)  had allegedly helped fund his activities with money from a bogus online escort agency scam.

Jurors were told his landlord had visited the property after Muhammad and his cousin Faisal Abu Ahmad, 24, had fallen behind with their rent.

In a search, police uncovered the stash of weapons as well as lollipop sticks attached to an electrical component with black tape and various wires, jurors heard. . . a tub of wires, a soldering iron, combat clothing, balaclavas, camouflage make-up and a pizza box used for “stabbing practice”. Some of the components allegedly matched sketches and detailed notes for adapting a drone.

Prosecutor Anne Whyte QC said Muhammad had steeped himself in “barbarous” Islamic State propaganda as he planned a “lone wolf” attack in Britain.

Ms Whyte said the video in French justified and encouraged “lone wolf attacks” in France and Europe, and included gruesome footage of executions.

terror attack a year before.” data-reactid=”37″ type=”text”>On May 21 last year, he allegedly researched suicide belts, machetes and Victoria train station which had been part of the scene of the Manchester Arena terror attack a year before. Two days later, Muhammad visited an army recruitment event in Bury town centre and the nearby Castle Armoury Barracks where expressed an interest in joining up, jurors were told.

It was claimed the defendant went on to Google “weak points of the human body for assault” as well as armed police in UK and Manchester.

Muhammad of Victoria Avenue, Whitefield, Bury, denies engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism.

Abu Ahmad, of the same address, has pleaded not guilty to failing to alert authorities of the alleged attack plan.

The cousins, who are also brothers-in-law, have wives who lived in Senegal throughout the alleged crimes.

Giving evidence, landlord Onkar Singh described the “surreal” experience of coming across what he thought could be a bomb in his rented house. Mr Singh said his “heart sunk” when he visited him to discuss it (rent arrears) and saw the condition of the house. “…Once I saw the knives I just wanted to get out the house.”

He returned with a friend and his brother-in-law and took photographs of the suspicious items, including a printout of images of guns, he said. Mr Singh said his brother-in-law Daniel was “in shock” at what they had found and they went straight to the nearest police station in Bury.

The trial continues.