Self-styled teacher Umar Haque who trained an “army of children” for terrorist attacks at a Barking Mosque has been jailed for life at the Old Bailey with a minimum term of 25 years.
Some of the children were as young as 11.
The Islamic State fanatic plotted to use guns and a car packed with explosives on 30 targets, including Big Ben and Heathrow Airport.
Police say some of the youngsters the 25 year old secretly brainwashed in Barking had been “almost paralysed with fear.”
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, said: “I welcome today’s sentences, which have ensured that three men complicit in a plot to radicalise vulnerable young children and use them to attack businesses and communities in London are now in prison.
“Haque was a dangerous man who was inspired by attacks in Europe and Westminster. He wanted to orchestrate numerous attacks at once, using guns, knives, bombs and large cars to kill innocent people.
“We recovered a number of exercise books from his home and it was evident from his notes that his plan was a long-term one. He intended to execute his plan years later, by which time he anticipated he would have trained and acquired an army of soldiers, including children.”
“When specially trained officers interviewed the children, they described being shown by Haque horrific videos of extreme terrorist violence including executions.
“They told police how Haque made them roleplay terrorists and police officers, with the children acting as terrorists being made to stab the ‘police officers’ to death.
“The children were paralysed by fear of Haque, who they understood to have connections to terrorists and who essentially told them that a violent fate would befall them if they told anyone what he was doing. They were too afraid to confide in anyone.
“It’s crucial that the police, partners and communities do all they can to identify where young and vulnerable people are being radicalised and I urge anyone with concerns that this is happening to report it confidentially to police.”
Abuthaher Mamun, 29 and from east London, helped Haque plan the attack and tried to raise money to fund the plan. He received a special custodial sentence for one count of preparation of terrorist acts and was jailed for 13 years but is not automatically eligible for parole upon serving half his sentence.
27-year-old Muhammad Abid, also from east London, was Haque’s confidante as he developed his plan.
He was jailed for four years and three months for one count of having information about acts of terrorism.
Tags: Forest Gate, Barking and Dagenham, Sentencing
