UK man convicted of plotting to attack US troops in Britain

Image
AP London
Last Updated : Apr 01 2016 | 7:48 PM IST
A British delivery driver was convicted today of planning to attack American military personnel in the UK in a plot inspired by the Islamic State militant group.
A jury at London's Kingston Crown Court found Junead Khan guilty of preparing an act of terrorism.
The 25-year-old's work for a pharmaceutical firm took him past several US air bases in eastern England, and prosecutors said he discussed ways of targeting them with an IS militant in Syria.
Prosecutors said Khan, who was arrested in July, had exchanged online messages with a man calling himself Abu Hussain. They discussed attacking military personnel after faking a road accident.
They said Abu Hussain was British-born militant Junaid Hussain, who was killed in a US drone strike in the IS stronghold of Raqqa last year.
In one exchange, Khan told Hussain he had seen some soldiers driving, "but I had nothing on me or wouldve (sic) got into an accident with them and made them get out the car." Hussain replied: "That's what the brother done with Lee Rigby." Rigby was a British soldier who was run down by a car and stabbed to death by two al-Qaida-inspired attackers in 2013.
When police raided Khan's home, they found an IS-style black flag and a laptop containing an article from an al-Qaida magazine entitled "Make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom."
Khan and his 23-year-old uncle, Shazib Khan, were also convicted of preparing to join IS militants in Syria.
Both men will be sentenced May 13. Junead Khan faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 01 2016 | 7:48 PM IST

Next Story