«Breaking News» British Muslim convert wanted to murder Oxford Street shoppers

A British-born Muslim convert said 'I spit at Britain' in an ISIS allegiance video as he plotted to slaughter shoppers in a 'ram attack' outside Oxford Street's Disney store.

Lewis Ludlow, a former Royal Mail worker from the upmarket Kent town of Rochester, became radicalised after converting to Islam and attending the poppy-burning rallies of hate preacher Anjem Choudary.

The 27-year-old then tried to join a new ISIS group in the Philippines, but was stopped from travelling and so began hatching plans for an attack in London.

He plotted a vehicle attack on Oxford Street or Madame Tussauds while, at the same time, meeting officials from the deradicalisation programme Prevent.

The convert had been offered three different courses of deradicalisation since he first came to the group's attention in 2008, but repeatedly failed to show up.

Investigators then found a torn-up letter setting out his vehicle attack plot, and a video in which he said: 'I pledge allegiance to Islamic State and it's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi... I want nothing from Britain and I spit at this country.' 

British Muslim convert Lewis Ludlow, who plotted a terror attack in London after being stopped from travelling to the Philippines

Police recovered torn-up scraps of a letter Ludlow had written, setting out his plans

An investigation revealed he was preparing to drive a van into shoppers on Oxford Street or near tourist hotspot Madame Tussauds.

Prosecutor Mark Dawson told an earlier hearing: 'This was a plot to cause mass fatalities using a vehicle in Oxford Street targeting among other places the Disney store or pedestrians in and around Oxford Street at its busiest times.

'In one of his notes he talks of causing upwards of 100 fatalities.'

Ludlow was under surveillance when he was observed at an internet cafe on Portland Street in London's West End on March 16this year where he researched 'busy shopping centres.'

He wrote notes on his planned attack, including: 'Long road with no bollards or barriers preventing a van mounting the pavement.' 

Ludlow admitted charges of preparing acts of terrorism and funding terror and was sentenced today.

He was once attracted to the far-Right and expressed admiration for Hitler - but turned to Islam after his aunt was ill and soon became radicalised.

The 27-year-old, who has autism, told the court he felt accepted by Choudary and his gang after being bullied at school. 

Surveillance footage showed Ludlow with the letter in a notebook at an internet cafe

Chilling photos found on his phone were taken during reconnaissance trips to Oxford Street

He also had photos of queues outside Madame Tussaud's while considering possible targets

Convert plotted attack while meeting de-radicalisation group Prevent

Ludlow had been offered three different courses of de-radicalisation, a court has heard.

He had attended a series of 17 meetings of the Prevent de-radicalisation programme beginning on October 20 2017 and attended one on the day he conducted his surveillance in Oxford Street. 

In December 2008,  he start 'community mentoring' at a local mosque. 

In July 2010 a Prevent 'engagement' decision was taken to use a local imam as a mentor but Ludlow failed to engage, despite several attempts.

The following month there was a decision to use a Home Office approved mentor but, despite several attempts, Ludlow still failed to attend meetings.

On October 25 2010 Ludlow was the subject of an intelligence report which said he had been 'supporting extremist propaganda' and in December his Prevent file was closed due to 'lack of consent.'

Nevertheless, there was a second referral to Prevent on June 13 2012, when police visited his mother.

However, records showed that Ludlow failed to respond to calls to arrange meetings throughout 2012 and 2013.

On April 5 2013, he was discharged from Prevent for a second time due to lack of engagement and referred to the police's 'Pursue' team.

A third attempt to engage with him was made in October 2017 when he accepted a visit by a Home Office intervention provider.

However, he then referred the matter to his solicitor, who contacted police saying he did not want any further contact.

He was served with a travel ban and collected by a Prevent police officer from Heathrow in February 2018 when a search warrant was executed at his address.

In February 2018, a Prevent officer contacted Ludlow's lawyer saying engagement could 'still be productive' but there was no further involvement of Prevent after March. 

On March 21 surveillance teams recovered a number of torn up notes from the bins at Ludlow's address which suggested that he was actively involved in preparing for a terrorist attack in London using a van.

The notes read: 'Potential attack sites: Madame Tussads (sic), Oxford street - busiest time between 11 - 12, particularly Fridays - St Paul's Cathedral.'

He had also listed the addressed for a temples of the rival shia Muslim sect in Forest Gate and Streatham, adding: 'Further locations scouted for the kil.'

A second note went into detail about his 'lone wolf' attack: 'Crowded London Areas: Oxford Street – long road with no bollards or barriers preventing a van mounting the pavement.

'Busiest time is between 11am – 12pm with Saturday being the busiest day.

'Wolf should either use a ram attack or use the truck to maximise death. It is a busy street, it is ideal for an attack. It is expected nearly 100 could be killed in the attack.'

Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said there was evidence the defendant wanted to recruit a second attacker as he did not have a driver's licence and was 'scared' of crashing.

On April 13 last year, Ludlow's mobile phone was retrieved from a storm drain and found to have videos of the defendant swearing allegiance to IS and evidence of 'hostile reconnaissance'.

In a video message Ludlow said his allegiance was to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS and added: 'May his name strike terror into your hearts.'

He went on: 'I am the Eagle and I pledge allegiance to Dawlatul Islam [ISIS].

'I have grew up amongst you filthy [word unclear] I learnt your culture, your ways of life and your disgusting debauchery. I reject all of this.

'I am amongst you as someone who has given dawah [proselytising] for many years and as one who has studied the deen [religion] of Islam.

'There is nothing between us except animosity and hatred. We love death as much as you love life so therefore, my allegiance is to Islamic State.

'I have nothing for this country of Britain. I spit on your citizenship, your passport, you can go to hell with that.

'So be ready, for we too are waiting. Signed off, The Eagle'.'

Ludlow had been sending encrypted messages to an ISIS contact in the Philippines called Abu Yaqeen. He was also in contact with Junaid Hussain, a British ISIS fighter in Syria. Ludlow had first come to the attention of police in 2010 while attending rallies of the banned group known as al-Muhajiroun, led by the radical preacher Anjem Choudary

Radicalised postman 'had mental health problems and autism' 

Ludlow's lawyer insisted he was 'a vulnerable man by reason of his mental health difficulties, his autism and his associated depression'. 

Ludlow appeared in court wearing black and a green taqiyah skull cap.

He told the court he was home-schooled for two years after leaving mainstream education when he was 14 because of severe bullying.

He said: 'I was bullied almost everyday for nine years physically and psychological by the teachers and everyone.'

'I thought everybody hated me and it would be better if I was dead. I told my mum I wanted to throw myself under a car.'

When Ludlow's close aunt died, he found comfort in the Muslim community, the court heard. 

He came into contact with al-Muhajiroun on PalTalk, a chatroom, saying they seemed 'friendly' and 'nice' and asked him to come along to a demonstration.

'They said I was funny and interesting.'

After two years taking part in demonstrations with the group the relationship soured after he was accused of being a spy. 

The court heard today that, in June 2015, Ludlow had discussed with Hussain doing something before travelling abroad and mentioned his job at Royal Mail.

He wrote: 'At my job at a Royal Mail warehouse we had a book that mentions how staff look out for suspicious items like bombs.

'I'm thinking should I find this info out more as Royal Mail rarely check items. It is perfect to send something lethal through.'

Hussain told him it was a 'good idea' and Ludlow promised to 'look into it'.

Ludlow said he read about Hussain in the newspaper, and couldn't believe how serious a figure he was.

'I told him I was on the same wavelength as him because at the time I was in awe of his fame.'

That year he was arrested and ISISI material was recovered from Ludlow's phone but no further action was taken.

Giving evidence, Ludlow, who converted to Islam at 16, told how he dropped out of school after he was bullied for nine years.

He said: 'I was a loner. I was on my own and it was sad. People would say they found me too strange. It was really depressing. I felt everyone hated me and I thought I would be better off dead.' 

Ludlow said he found details about Anjem Choudary's group online and was invited to demonstrations.

At first it was 'friendly' and he was seen as 'funny' but after two years things turned sour and he was suspected of being a spy, he said.

Police sealed off his house in Rochester, Kent in May after he tried to travel to south-east Asia

Ludlow told the court how MI5 tried to recruit him as a 'spy' a year before he hatched his terror plot.

The defendant, who claimed benefits for eight years, had met a member of the security services near his family home in Rochester in March 2017, it was claimed.

During the meeting, an officer told him he 'could be useful to us' and offered him £50, Ludlow said, adding: 'I thought, "Are they asking me to be a spy?"'

Afterwards, Ludlow said he was 'harassed' over the phone, adding: 'It seemed to me they wanted me to entrap people.'

Ludlow faces jail when he is sentenced in the coming days. 

Former postal worker's murderous plans revealed in video and notes 

In a video found on his phone, Ludlow pledged allegiance to ISIS

In a video message Ludlow said his allegiance was to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS and added: 'I am the Eagle and I pledge allegiance to Dawlatul Islam [ISIS].

'I have grew up amongst you filthy [word unclear] I learnt your culture, your ways of life and your disgusting debauchery. I reject all of this.

'I am amongst you as someone who has given dawah [proselytising] for many years and as one who has studied the deen [religion] of Islam.

'There is nothing between us except animosity and hatred. We love death as much as you love life so therefore, my allegiance is to Islamic State.

'I have nothing for this country of Britain. I spit on your citizenship, your passport, you can go to hell with that.

'So be ready, for we too are waiting. Signed off, The Eagle'.

Ludlow, who used the alias Ali Hussain, also wrote out a pledge of allegiance, in which he said that he lived 'to serve as one of the soldiers of the khilafah [Islamic state].'

He added: 'Oh kuffar [infidels] of Britain we are ghosts in your midst. Wallahi [I swear] we will take revenge for we love death as you love life. So wait, we too are waiting. Dawlatul Islam Baquiyyah Watamaatad [the Islamic State will last for ever] - The Ghost.'

He was spotted printing off an ISIS flag in a London internet cafe, the court heard

Ludlow was under surveillance when he was observed at an internet cafe on Portland Street in London's West End on March 16 this year where he researched 'busy shopping centres.'

The computer at the internet cafe revealed that he had also searched for information about a police station on Oxford Street.

On March 21 surveillance teams recovered a number of torn up notes from the bins at Ludlow's address which suggested that he was actively involved in preparing for a terrorist attack in London using a van.

The notes read: 'Potential attack sites: Madame Tussads (sic), Oxford street - busiest time between 11 - 12, particularly Fridays - St Paul's Cathedral.'

He had also listed the addresses for a temples of the rival shia Muslim sect in Forest Gate and Streatham, adding: 'Further locations scouted for the kil.'

A second note went into detail about his 'lone wolf' attack: 'Crowded London Areas: Oxford Street – long road with no bollards or barriers preventing a van mounting the pavement.

'Busiest time is between 11am – 12pm with Saturday being the busiest day.

'Wolf should either use a ram attack or use the truck to maximise death. It is a busy street, it is ideal for an attack. It is expected nearly 100 could be killed in the attack.'

Ludlow (right) was pictured at an Islamist rally with extremist Trevor Brooks (left)

It appears Ludlow was planning to meet up with someone else because he did not have a driving license and had told his ISIS contact, Abu Yaqeen: 'Driving isnt easy. Only reason why I never learnt is because its expensive plus a bit scared of crashing.'

A third note read: 'Hotels and van prices: Prices vary for hotels near Oxford Street, it is best to look at trip advisor or expedia.co.uk - Frith Street, Soho London W1D 3JE isnear the attack site.

'The wolf can stay for one or two nights before the attack cost is £103 - £105. I will look at further hotels if there is another option.'

The note added: 'Will be sent wolf. Estimation of prices to dawlah [ISIS] so the attack can be co-ordinated. Expected and realistic goals should be to hit double figures.' 

 

 

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https://hienalouca.com/2019/01/03/british-muslim-convert-wanted-to-murder-oxford-street-shoppers/
Main photo article A British-born Muslim convert said ‘I spit at Britain’ in an ISIS allegiance video as he plotted to slaughter shoppers in a ‘ram attack’ outside Oxford Street’s Disney store.
Lewis Ludlow, a former Royal Mail worker from the upmarket Kent town of Rochester, became ...

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