Man plotted attacks on Buckingham Palace and Elton John concert

A teenager has admitted plotting a bomb attack in London, having researched potential targets including Buckingham Palace and an Elton John concert.

Haroon Syed, 19, who pleaded guilty on Thursday at the Old Bailey, was “researching, planning and attempting to source” materials for homemade explosive devices for use in the UK.

The court heard how Syed tried to get weapons online, including a bomb vest or explosives, and trawled the web to find a busy area in the capital such as Oxford Circus to launch a mass casualty attack.

Syed was caught chatting online with officers from the British Security Service, who posed as a fellow extremist who could help him source the weapons.

The defendant, from Hounslow in west London, will be sentenced at a later date. He pleaded guilty to a plot running from April to September 2016 to get materials for a bomb to stage attacks.

The judge, Michael Topolski, warned Syed this was “a grave offence, and he would consider if a life sentence was merited”.

Syed’s brother, Nadir Syed, 24, was last year convicted and jailed for life for plotting to behead a poppy-seller or police community support officer on Remembrance Sunday.

The Elton John concert researched by the teenager fell on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

At a previous hearing, the court heard how key evidence was gathered from Syed’s communications with the fake contact, Abu Yusuf, via mobile phone and social media.

Syed asked for “gear” for his “opp” and when asked to give details, he said he needed a machine gun and an explosive vest “so after some damage with machine gun do martyrdom … that’s what I’m planning to do”.

When Abu Yusuf said it would be costly, the defendant told him he was “broke” but pressed on, saying: “You have to find out the price for the machine gun, any gun.”

Initially Syed cried off meeting his contact, complaining that he was being followed by police who will “have eyes on me if I come”.

An officer pretended to be Abu Yusuf when they did finally get together at a Costa Coffee in Slough and their conversation was taped.

Throughout August, the discussions continued about making or getting a bomb and acquiring a gun, even though Syed confessed he had never used one before.

On 30 August, Syed stressed that he needed a portable device, saying: “I might put the bomb in the train and then I’m going to jump out so the bomb explodes on the train … So ask the brother if he can make that type of bomb with button.”

Meanwhile, he researched targets and they arranged to pick up the bomb in exchange for £150 the following week.

Syed asked Abu Yusuf to make sure there were lots of nails in it and added: “I was thinking of Oxford Street … If I go to prison, I go to prison. If I die, I die, you understand?”

He searched the internet for Islamic State, previous terrorist attacks, and potential locations, which included an Elton John concert in Hyde Park on 11 September last year.

Police moved in to arrest the defendant at his home on 8 September and his phone was seized. Asked for the password to unlock the device, Syed said: “Yeah I.S.I.S – you like that?”

He was arrested in September 2016 and when detained by officers said “alright”. He told an undercover officer of his desire to get bomb-making material and was inspired by Isis.