Terror suspect ‘urged followers’ to attack Prince George at school
Teacher at Lancashire mosque is accused of running online site with advice on jihadist attacks
AN ALLEGED terrorist used social media to encourage his followers to carry out “lone wolf ” attacks on Prince George, a court has heard.
Husnain Rashid, 32, of Nelson, Lancashire, allegedly provided an “e-toolkit for terrorism” which gave advice on how to commit acts of terror, including “targeting Prince George at his first school”.
Rashid, who was employed as a teacher at the Mohammadi mosque, is charged with encouraging terrorism by posting a photograph of the future King, along with the address of the four-year-old’s school, a silhouette of a jihad fighter and the message: “Even the Royal family will not be left alone”.
He is also accused of running an online channel named Lone Mujahid and calling for ice creams to be poisoned.
Jurors at Woolwich Crown Court, south-east London, were told yesterday that the defendant offered advice on how a terrorist could use poison, chemicals, bombs and knives.
Annabel Darlow, prosecuting, said: “His proposals were indiscriminate and made no distinction between adult and child, between members of fighting forces and civilians. His suggestions included injecting poison into supermarket ice creams and targeting Prince George at his first school.”
Rashid pleaded not guilty to three counts of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts, one count of encouraging terrorism and two of dissemination of a terrorist publication.
He pleaded not guilty to failing to
‘His suggestions included injecting poison into supermarket ice creams and targeting Prince George’
comply with a notice under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.
The offences are said to have taken place between October 2016 and November 2017.
Rashid’s activities came to light following the monitoring of posts on the Lone Mujahid channel, based on the social media site Telegram, which offers users a high level of security, employing end-to-end encryption.
The defendant is also said to have distributed terrorist publications “with the intention thereby of providing encouragement to others to commit acts of terror.”
Ms Darlow added that among those was the al-qaeda publication, Inspire Magazine, which provides its readers with information on how to make a bomb at home.
The court heard that upon arrest Rashid attempted to dispose of a mobile phone by throwing it over the wall of his garden.
It was heard that a number of other mobile devices were found which had black tape covering the front camera for increased security. He was asked to provide the pin numbers or access codes for a number of the devices recovered, but claimed he “could not remember it”.
It was alleged by prosecutors that while online Rashid communicated with a British terrorist in Syria named Omar Ali Hussain.
Rashid allegedly offered Ali Hussain assistance to commit acts of terror by providing him with information on using lasers to shoot down aircraft and to weaken enemy defences by jamming their missile systems. In return, the jury heard that the defendant sought assistance on how he could travel abroad to join jihad for himself.
Ali Hussain formerly lived in High Wycombe, Bucks, before leaving the UK in 2013. He appeared on an episode of BBC Newsnight where he openly talked about his activities in Syria and is since thought to have been killed.
Rashid is also alleged to have posted a photograph of Burma’s UK ambassador with the address of the Burmese embassy, saying “you know what to do”, urging others to “fight and spill the blood to the apes in your land” and calling for them to “start preparing tools and weapons/explosives”. Other alleged targets included Australian railway stations.
The trial continues.