4 accused of IS-linked plot to kill soldier, policeman in UK

London, Jan 19: Four young British Muslims plotted Islamic State-inspired terror attacks including drive-by shootings on the streets of London to kill a police officer, a soldier or civilians, a court was told today.

Tarik Hassane, a 22-year-old medical student and the ringleader of Suhaib Majeed, 21, Nyall Hamlett, 25, and Nathan Cuffy, 26, had obtained a gun and silencer and were looking to buy a scooter which would have resulted in a terrorist murder or murders on the streets of London, the Old Bailey court in London was told today.

Hassane also conducted "hostile reconnaissance" online of Shepherd's Bush police station in west London and the Parachute Regiment Territorial Army barracks at White City in east London, jurors were told.

Prosecutor Brian Altman opened the case, saying, "With their arrests, the police successfully disrupted a plot to kill a police officer, a soldier or possibly even a civilian, in one or more terrorist attacks, which, if the plot had been allowed to run its course would have resulted in a terrorist murder or murders on the streets of London, according to the warped ideology of the defendants."

"The plot was undoubtedly influenced by the happenings in Syria and Iraq and the rise of Isil, which in late June 2014 was renamed Islamic State, when the organisation pronounced itself to be a worldwide Caliphate," he said.

The four deny conspiracy to murder, preparing terrorist acts and a series of related charges between July and October 2014.

A fifth man, Ayman Aziz, was in contact with Hassane and occasionally in London but is believed to be abroad, the court was told. The trial is ongoing and expected to last a few weeks.

PTI