Isil schoolboy plotted Bieber concert attack
AN Isil-inspired white British schoolboy who “intended to kill and maim as many people as possible” in a Westminster-style attack has been found guilty of five terror offences.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, threatened to carry out a vehicle attack inspired by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) on the day of a Justin Bieber concert.
He was arrested in June, several hours before Bieber took to the stage at Cardiff ’s Principality Stadium, after searching the internet for details of security at the Canadian star’s world tour.
At the start of the trial it emerged that the youth had written a note, apparently aimed for distribution after his death, which read: “I am a soldier of the Islamic State and I have attacked Cardiff today because your government keep on bombing targets in Syria and Iraq. There will be more attacks in the future.”
The note – found with a gutting knife and claw hammer – also featured bullet points including “run down the nonbelievers with a car” and “strike the infidels, who oppose Allah, in the neck”.
The prosecution said the teenager had been radicalised over the internet. Web searches presented to the court included “vehicle mounting pavement” and “car ploughs through a crowd”. He told police he took a knife and a hammer to school on the day of his arrest but claimed he had no thoughts of using either weapon in a terror attack.
Jurors unanimously convicted the teenager, from Rhondda Cynon Taf, of two counts of encouraging terrorism by posting extremist material on Instagram, and two charges of possessing Isil propaganda magazines. The panel also convicted him, by an 11 to one verdict, of preparing for terrorist acts.
Remanding the boy in custody until a sentencing hearing on Jan 10, Judge Mark Wall QC said: “The offences for which he has been convicted obviously merit a significant custodial sentence.”
Sue Hemming, of the CPS, said: “This teenager’s behaviour over many months leaves no doubt that he intended to kill and maim as many people as possible in an attack reminiscent of the incident on Westminster Bridge.
“He was also posting extremist content online that could have encouraged others to commit terrorist acts and downloading instructions on how to carry out ‘lone wolf ’ attacks.”
Det Supt Lee Porter, of Wales Extremism Counter Terrorism Unit, said: “This case has highlighted the ongoing concerns with young people gaining access to extremist material on the internet and how quickly that can lead to radicalisation.”