Buckingham Palace attacker who supports the Islamic State planned to kill non-Muslims after he left jail

An ISIS-supporting Uber driver who attacked police with a sword outside Buckingham Palace in London threatened to kill non-Muslims only months after he left jail, a court heard on Monday.

Mohiussunnath Chowdhury, 28, attacked officers outside the palace in August 2017 while shouting “Allahu Akbar”, but was cleared of terrorism charges, after jurors spent more than 11 hours considering the verdict.

It emerged on Monday that six months after he left jail, Chowdhury was allegedly preparing to attack a Gay Pride parade and Madame Tussauds in London after being freed from custody.

A secret recording emerged from June last year of Chowdhury telling his sister, Sneha Chowdhury, that he was quitting his job at a chicken shop in Luton.

“I’m doing another attack, bruv,” he said. “I’m serious bro, it’s about time now.”

Chowdhury was arrested days later on suspicion for planning a terrorist attack.

Prosecutors said on Monday the defendant was planning “to unleash death and suffering on non-Muslim members of the public who happened to be present, using a firearm, sword and even a van as part of an attack”.

Woolwich Crown Court in the British capital heard that Chowdhury told undercover police officers his intentions and that non-Muslims were “fair game”.

The court heard that he bragged to undercover police of deceiving the jury that cleared him of a terror offence after the Buckingham Palace incident in 2017.

When Chowdhury appeared in court on Monday, he denied he was planning terrorist attacks and said he made the comment “for attention” and did not mean it.

The court was told that he discussed terrorism with friends online, telling one man that killing a soldier or police officer would be “instant paradise, innit”.

The London court heard that his planned attacks were justified by western war campaigns in the Middle East.

Chowdhury allegedly praised and defended previous terrorist attacks, including the Charlie Hebdo shooting in January 2015 and the murder of British Army soldier Lee Rigby in Greenwich, London, in May 2013.

“It was beautiful that they stood up and attacked them,” he told the jury. “I don’t think it’s right that they did that but it’s like they put their foot in it.

“They were warned not to do these things, so it’s hard for me to have sympathy for people who insulted my prophet.”

Chowdhury’s sister, 25, has denied two counts of failing to disclose information on terrorist activity. The trial continues.

Source: The National