The Herald

Muslim admits terror plan at Disney store

- EMILY PENNINK

A MUSLIM convert has admitted plotting to kill around 100 people in a terror attack outside the Disney Store in Oxford Street. London.

Lewis Ludlow, 26, swore allegiance to Islamic State as he prepared to drive a van through the shopping district or Madame Tussauds.

Between March 15 and April 19, he bought a phone under a false name and wrote down his attack plans – which were later found ripped up in a bin.

He also researched potential targets around the capital, van rental and hotel accommodat­ion.

He identified Oxford Street as an “ideal” target, writing: “It is expected nearly 100 could be killed in the attack”.

Ludlow, from Rochester, Kent, formulated his plan after being stopped by police at Heathrow Airport in February as he attempted to board a flight to the Philippine­s.

It was alleged he also set up a Facebook account called Antique Collection­s as a front to send money to south east Asia for terrorism.

The defendant was due to face trial in the autumn on two charges of preparing acts of terrorism and one of terror funding.

But at a hearing before Judge Nicholas Hilliard, QC, at the Old Bailey, he pled guilty to plotting an attack in the UK and funding IS abroad.

Prosecutor Mark Heywood, QC, told the court it would not be in the public interest to pursue a trial on a charge of attempting to join IS in the Philippine­s, which the defendant denied. That charge will lie on the court file.

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