UK: Islamic State Teen on Trial for Alleged Terror Knife Plot

knives
Ian Waldie/Getty
Liam Deacon

An Islamic State supporter from southern England is on trial for allegedly plotting to emulate the Westminster terror attack and go on a murderous rampage with a hunting knife.

Haider Ahmed was just 17 years old when he pledged allegiance to the Islamist terror group and plotted the attack, it is claimed, appeared at Kingston Crown Court this week.

He was living with his parents in Redhill, Surrey, when he was arrested and charged on suspicion of spreading terrorist propaganda, helping recruit others, and planning his attack.

According to The Times, Tom Little, QC, for the prosecution, told the court Tuesday: “[He was] a young man with a radical, dangerous and entrenched mindset who was in contact with others with a similar mindset in other countries.”

Ahmed was aware of other Islamic State knife attacks, he told the court. “Ahmed was, the prosecution say, no different to those individuals.”

“He would have been happy to die in the cause as he told others,” he added.

It is claimed the teen hoped to use the hunting knife to mug a drug dealer and raise cash for his radical Islamist and terrorist cause.

Ahmed was alleged to have been supplied with the weapon by one Imdadul Karim, 24, who was selling blades online.

Mr Little said Mr Karim had an “arsenal of knives, including the type of knife that he supplied to Ahmed. You will want to consider why he had so many and the type of knives they were.”

Ahmed had downloaded Islamic State content and had files including the flag of the terror group saved on his devices, as well as allegedly chatting with terrorists moving from Nigeria to Libya, where Islamic State has a presence.

He denies preparing acts of terrorism relating to the purchase of the large hunting knife and Mr Karim denies funding terrorism by supplying the blade to be used in the alleged plot. The trial continues.

In September, Home Office statistics revealed the number of terrorists being brought to justice in the UK has reached its highest level in nearly ten years.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, Counter Terrorism Police Senior National Coordinator, said: “At a time when we are still seeing unprecedented levels of demand across [counter terror] Policing, we are still working tirelessly to ensure that our investigations yield positive results at court.

He added: “We’re not only successfully prosecuting more people than ever before, but we’re also jailing the most dangerous offenders for longer – helping to keep the public safe.”

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