'ISIS supporter called for terror attacks on Prince George at his school'

An alleged Islamic State supporter appeared in court today accused of encouraging would-be lone wolf attackers to target Prince George at his school in south-west London.

Husnain Rashid provided an “e-toolkit for terrorism” in a “prolific” online channel called the Lone Mujahid, a court was told. The 32-year-old also allegedly called for ice creams to be poisoned and for George, aged four, to be targeted at Thomas’s Battersea, the prince’s £18,000-a-year school.

Prosecutor Annabel Darlow, QC, told Woolwich crown court: “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.”

Rashid is charged with encouraging terrorism by posting a photograph of the prince, along with the address of his school, a silhouette of a jihad fighter and the message: “Even the royal family will not be left alone”.

Other targets included the Halloween Parade in New York and railway stations in Australia, Ms Darlow said.

Rashid specialised in supporting lone attackers providing assistance with “every conceivable type of attack”, including the use of bombs, chemicals and knives, she added.

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, Ms Darlow told the court.

As well as publishing his own magazine targeting lone wolves, Rahid allegedly distributed al Qaeda terror magazine Inspire and wanted to travel to Syria to fight in IS 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 told the court how, 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.

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”.

Rashid, of Leonard Street, Nelson, 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.