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British Isis supporter encouraged lone wolf attacks on Prince George's school, court told

Defendant posted a photograph of the prince with the message 'even the royal family will not be left alone', prosecution alleges

Wednesday 23 May 2018 16:16 BST
Artist sketch of Husnain Rashid
Artist sketch of Husnain Rashid

An Isis supporter encouraged lone wolf attacks to be carried out on Prince George’s school, a court has been told.

Husnain Rashid, from Lancashire, called himself the "Lone Mujahid" online and provided an "e-toolkit for terrorism" in an online channel, Woolwich Crown Court was told.

The 32-year-old, who was employed as a teacher at the Muhammadi mosque, called for the four-year-old prince to be targeted at Thomas's school in Battersea, south-west London, the prosecution alleged.

They claimed he posted a photograph of the prince, along with the address of the four-year-old's school, a silhouette of a jihadi fighter and the message: "Even the royal family will not be left alone."

Mr Rashid specialised in supporting lone attackers providing assistance with "every conceivable type of attack", including the use of bombs, chemicals and knives, prosecutors said.

He also communicated with a British terrorist in Syria named Omar Ali Hussain, advising him on how to make successful attacks including bringing down aircraft with lasers, the court heard.

Prosecutor Annabel Darlow 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."

She said Mr Rashid published his own magazine targeting lone wolves, distributed the al Qaida terror publication Inspire and wanted to travel to Syria to fight in Isis territories.

"He made numerous posts glorifying terrorist atrocities committed successfully against others and encouraging and inciting his readers to plan and commit more successful terror attacks of their own," Ms Darlow said.

When police swooped on his house, she said, Mr Rashid "hurled" a phone containing a "treasure trove" of evidence over a wall and into an alleyway.

The phone revealed that he had been using Telegram, the secretive social media application, to take part in thousands of chats, the prosecutor said.

Mr Rashid is also accused of posting a photograph of the Burmese ambassador to the UK and saying "you know what to do", urging others to "fight and spill the blood to the apes in your land" and calling for others to "start preparing tools and weapons/explosives".

He has denied three counts of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, one count of encouraging terrorism, two of dissemination of a terrorist publication and one of failing to comply with a notice under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.

The allegations span a period between October 2016 and April this year.

The trial, expected to last six weeks, continues.

Agencies contributed to this report

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