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UK schoolboy given life sentence for Australia terror plot UK schoolboy given life sentence for Australia terror plot
(about 2 hours later)
The UK’s youngest convicted terrorist has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of five years for plotting the Anzac Day beheading of Australian police officers when he was just 14.The UK’s youngest convicted terrorist has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of five years for plotting the Anzac Day beheading of Australian police officers when he was just 14.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, used his first smartphone to forge a celebrity status among online jihadis from his home in Blackburn, Lancashire, and made contact with a notorious Islamic State recruiter currently fighting in Syria.The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, used his first smartphone to forge a celebrity status among online jihadis from his home in Blackburn, Lancashire, and made contact with a notorious Islamic State recruiter currently fighting in Syria.
Now aged 15, he pleaded in July guilty to inciting terrorism overseas, sending thousands of messages to a Melbourne man and concocting a plot to kill police officers at Australia’s memorial day parade. Now aged 15, in July he pleaded guilty to inciting terrorism overseas, sending thousands of messages to a Melbourne man and concocting a plot to kill police officers at Australia’s memorial day parade.
Sentencing him at Manchester crown court on Friday, Mr Justice Saunders said it was “chilling” that a defendant so young had been “hoping and intending that the outcome would be the deaths of a number of people. Had the authorities not intervened, [the defendant] would have continued to play his part.Sentencing him at Manchester crown court on Friday, Mr Justice Saunders said it was “chilling” that a defendant so young had been “hoping and intending that the outcome would be the deaths of a number of people. Had the authorities not intervened, [the defendant] would have continued to play his part.
“In March 2015 he would have been pleased if that had happened. He would have welcomed the notoriety that he would have achieved,” the judge said.“In March 2015 he would have been pleased if that had happened. He would have welcomed the notoriety that he would have achieved,” the judge said.
The boy will remain in prison until he is deemed to present no further risk to the public.The boy will remain in prison until he is deemed to present no further risk to the public.
DCI Tony Mole, who led the counter-terror unit investigation, said the defendant’s involvement in something so serious at such a young age had deeply shocked him. “It is a warning to teenagers, the seduction of this [Isis] message can be very compelling. You can almost self-radicalise because you will go deeper and deeper,” he said. DCI Tony Mole, who led the counter-terrorism unit investigation, said the defendant’s involvement in something so serious at such a young age had deeply shocked him. “It is a warning to teenagers, the seduction of this [Isis] message can be very compelling. You can almost self-radicalise because you will go deeper and deeper,” he said.
Socially awkward at school, where he was nicknamed “the terrorist”, the teenager had divorced parents and suffered from a degenerative eye condition. But online, he constructed a fantastical identity, amassing 24,000 Twitter followers in just two weeks, and operating almost 90 different accounts sharing Isis propaganda and other extreme material. Socially awkward at school, where he was nicknamed “the terrorist”, the teenager’s parents were divorced and he suffered from a degenerative eye condition. But online, he constructed a fantastical identity, amassing 24,000 Twitter followers in just two weeks and operating almost 90 different accounts sharing Isis propaganda and other extreme material.
It was during his time as a jihadi internet celebrity that he contacted the prominent Isis recruiter Neil Prakash, an Australian fighting in Syria known by the name Abu Khaled al-Cambodi.It was during his time as a jihadi internet celebrity that he contacted the prominent Isis recruiter Neil Prakash, an Australian fighting in Syria known by the name Abu Khaled al-Cambodi.
In online messages, the teen delighted in attention from al-Cambodi, boasting that the notorious Islamic State propagandist saw him as a “little brother”. This connection to al-Cambodi, the prosecution claimed, showed how seriously the teenager’s aims should be being taken. In online messages, the teenager delighted in attention from al-Cambodi, boasting that the notorious Islamic State propagandist saw him as a “little brother”. This connection to al-Cambodi, the prosecution claimed, showed how seriously the teenager’s aims should be being taken.
It was al-Cambodi who instigated the teenager’s contact with a jihadi enthusiast, allegedly 18-year-old Sevdet Besim, more than 10,500 miles away in Melbourne. Within hours, the pair were discussing a potential attack, deciding it should take place in Australia and that the target should be police officers. It is not clear if Besim ever realised his jihadi underworld contact was a 14-year-old Lancastrian schoolboy.It was al-Cambodi who instigated the teenager’s contact with a jihadi enthusiast, allegedly 18-year-old Sevdet Besim, more than 10,500 miles away in Melbourne. Within hours, the pair were discussing a potential attack, deciding it should take place in Australia and that the target should be police officers. It is not clear if Besim ever realised his jihadi underworld contact was a 14-year-old Lancastrian schoolboy.
In just nine days in March, the pair exchanged more than 3,000 encrypted messages. It was the British boy’s idea to launch the attack on Anzac Day, so that it would constantly be remembered at each subsequent anniversary at the parade for memorialising Australia and New Zealand’s war dead.In just nine days in March, the pair exchanged more than 3,000 encrypted messages. It was the British boy’s idea to launch the attack on Anzac Day, so that it would constantly be remembered at each subsequent anniversary at the parade for memorialising Australia and New Zealand’s war dead.
Besim was told to make a martyrdom video, which the teen said he planned to give to al-Cambodi to distribute via Islamic State networks. Pictures of potential weapons were sent to the defendant, who told Besim one of the knives had a handle “perfect for tearing through throat”. Besim was told to make a martyrdom video, which the teenager said he planned to give to al-Cambodi to distribute via Islamic State networks. Pictures of potential weapons were sent to the defendant, who told Besim one of the knives had a handle “perfect for tearing through throat”.
The teen encouraged Besim to do a practice run, to “break into someone’s house and get your first taste of beheading”. They discussed different methods of killing the officers, and the teenager told Besim to make sure he got himself shot.The teen encouraged Besim to do a practice run, to “break into someone’s house and get your first taste of beheading”. They discussed different methods of killing the officers, and the teenager told Besim to make sure he got himself shot.
“I feel like a young kid with a ticket to disney world cant wait ahahah,” Besim allegedly wrote. “Yeh I wanna make sure I get shot to. Not b4 I take out at least 1.”“I feel like a young kid with a ticket to disney world cant wait ahahah,” Besim allegedly wrote. “Yeh I wanna make sure I get shot to. Not b4 I take out at least 1.”
Hours after that last exchange, the British schoolboy was under arrest. The teen’s online activities at home had gone largely unnoticed, the family solicitor Daniel King said his parents were “completely unaware of his activities”, and it was his behaviour at school that brought him to the attention of authorities.Hours after that last exchange, the British schoolboy was under arrest. The teen’s online activities at home had gone largely unnoticed, the family solicitor Daniel King said his parents were “completely unaware of his activities”, and it was his behaviour at school that brought him to the attention of authorities.
He had threatened to slit the throat of a teaching assistant, saying it would be “like halal” and said he had made a list of the order in which he would like to kill his teachers.He had threatened to slit the throat of a teaching assistant, saying it would be “like halal” and said he had made a list of the order in which he would like to kill his teachers.
Worried school staff had already referred him to the government’s flagship deradicalisation programme channel in 2013, but case workers were forced to call in police when the boy paid only “lip service” to their efforts, the judge said in sentencing. Worried school staff had already referred him to the government’s flagship deradicalisation programme, Channel, in 2013, but case workers were forced to call in police when the boy paid only “lip service” to their efforts, the judge said in sentencing.
DCI Mole said it was not an indication of the ineffectiveness of the programme, which he said had a “very high success rate”, but admitted that in the teenager’s case deradicalisation attempts had failed to stop the situation escalating.DCI Mole said it was not an indication of the ineffectiveness of the programme, which he said had a “very high success rate”, but admitted that in the teenager’s case deradicalisation attempts had failed to stop the situation escalating.
Counter-terrorism officers in the north-west arrested the schoolboy for threats to kill at school on 25 March. He was rearrested just over a week later after police found disturbing content on devices seized from his bedroom.Counter-terrorism officers in the north-west arrested the schoolboy for threats to kill at school on 25 March. He was rearrested just over a week later after police found disturbing content on devices seized from his bedroom.
The messages between the teenager and the Australian jihadi were encrypted, but when police deciphered them they made immediate contact with Australian authorities, feeding them intelligence as they decoded information.The messages between the teenager and the Australian jihadi were encrypted, but when police deciphered them they made immediate contact with Australian authorities, feeding them intelligence as they decoded information.
Besim was arrested on 18 April, and allegedly found to be in possession of a knife, with police later discovering further knives, a Shahada flag and a phone with a message about intended martyrdom. The Anzac Day parade was less than a week away.Besim was arrested on 18 April, and allegedly found to be in possession of a knife, with police later discovering further knives, a Shahada flag and a phone with a message about intended martyrdom. The Anzac Day parade was less than a week away.
In mitigation, the teenager’s defending barrister questioned how much the 15-year-old had really been the driving influence behind Besim, who was already fully involved in online jihadi activism. Defending, James Pickup QC said the defendant had already made considerable progress at his specialist unit since the arrest.In mitigation, the teenager’s defending barrister questioned how much the 15-year-old had really been the driving influence behind Besim, who was already fully involved in online jihadi activism. Defending, James Pickup QC said the defendant had already made considerable progress at his specialist unit since the arrest.
“He accepts his crimes were barbaric, immoral and wholly wrong,” Pickup said, adding that the “void that was filled by the extremist propaganda of Isis no longer exists” and had been replaced by the positive support of his family for his deradicalisation.“He accepts his crimes were barbaric, immoral and wholly wrong,” Pickup said, adding that the “void that was filled by the extremist propaganda of Isis no longer exists” and had been replaced by the positive support of his family for his deradicalisation.
But Mole said the messages showed how involved the teenager was in the plot. “Whether you are behind the computer, encouraging and directing someone else to do something, or you are the one with the knife, actually what is the difference? The end product is the same,” he said.But Mole said the messages showed how involved the teenager was in the plot. “Whether you are behind the computer, encouraging and directing someone else to do something, or you are the one with the knife, actually what is the difference? The end product is the same,” he said.
“The young man himself was purporting to be somebody different and older to give himself some credibility and there was a clear relationship that had been built up where this young man was directing, advising and encouraging the person in Australia to carry out this attack. Certainly when the Australian authorities actually moved in on Besim there was evidence that that attack was in its mature state.”“The young man himself was purporting to be somebody different and older to give himself some credibility and there was a clear relationship that had been built up where this young man was directing, advising and encouraging the person in Australia to carry out this attack. Certainly when the Australian authorities actually moved in on Besim there was evidence that that attack was in its mature state.”
It was unlikely, Mole said, that the teen would have carried out any attack on British soil in the near future. “I genuinely think that’s a step too far, there’s nothing to suggest he was going to do one himself.”It was unlikely, Mole said, that the teen would have carried out any attack on British soil in the near future. “I genuinely think that’s a step too far, there’s nothing to suggest he was going to do one himself.”
King, the family’s solicitor, appealed for privacy for the boy’s family. “The case has had a painful effect on the family, although they have completely co-operated with the police, both during the course of the investigation, and also the court proceedings. They now wish to commence the process of trying to repair the damage.”King, the family’s solicitor, appealed for privacy for the boy’s family. “The case has had a painful effect on the family, although they have completely co-operated with the police, both during the course of the investigation, and also the court proceedings. They now wish to commence the process of trying to repair the damage.”