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Finsbury Park attack: man aimed to kill Muslims, court hears Finsbury Park attacker 'brainwashed by BBC drama and rightwing propaganda'
(35 minutes later)
Darren Osborne denies murder after a van was driven into crowd near north London mosque Court hears Darren Osborne’s north London attack on Muslims influenced by Three Girls series
Vikram Dodd and Vikram Dodd and
Kevin RawlinsonKevin Rawlinson
Mon 22 Jan 2018 12.49 GMTMon 22 Jan 2018 12.49 GMT
First published on Mon 22 Jan 2018 12.23 GMTFirst published on Mon 22 Jan 2018 12.23 GMT
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A man drove a van into a crowd near a mosque in a terrorist act intended to kill as many Muslims as possible after becoming “brainwashed” by extremist rightwing propaganda and watching a BBC drama about the Rochdale grooming scandal, a jury has heard. A man who drove a van into a crowd near a mosque in a terrorist act intended to kill as many Muslims as possible after becoming “brainwashed” by extremist rightwing propaganda and watching a BBC drama about the Rochdale grooming scandal, a jury has heard.
Darren Osborne, 48, denies murdering one man, Makram Ali, and injuring others in Finsbury Park, north London, on 19 June.Darren Osborne, 48, denies murdering one man, Makram Ali, and injuring others in Finsbury Park, north London, on 19 June.
Jonathan Rees QC, for the prosecution, told the jury at Woolwich crown court on Monday: “On 19 June 2017, at just after a quarter past midnight, the defendant, Mr Osborne, deliberately drove a heavy Luton box van into a group of Muslims who had gathered in the junction of Seven Sisters Road and Whadcoat Street, in the Finsbury Park area of London.Jonathan Rees QC, for the prosecution, told the jury at Woolwich crown court on Monday: “On 19 June 2017, at just after a quarter past midnight, the defendant, Mr Osborne, deliberately drove a heavy Luton box van into a group of Muslims who had gathered in the junction of Seven Sisters Road and Whadcoat Street, in the Finsbury Park area of London.
“The evidence establishes that the defendant was trying to kill as many of the group as possible. In the event, he killed one person, a 51-year-old man called Makram Ali, and in addition injured many others, some of them seriously.”“The evidence establishes that the defendant was trying to kill as many of the group as possible. In the event, he killed one person, a 51-year-old man called Makram Ali, and in addition injured many others, some of them seriously.”
Rees said the hatred and extremism shown in the note Osborne wrote, which was recovered from the van he used to stage the attack, showed Ali’s death and the injuries to others near the mosque was a terrorist act. Rees said the hatred and extremism shown in the note Osborne wrote, which was recovered from the van, showed Ali’s death and the injuries to others near the mosque was a terrorist act.
Rees told the jury: “Although there is no terrorist offence for you to consider in this case, the prosecution say that the note and the comments he made after his detention establish that this act of extreme violence was, indeed, an act of terrorism, designed to influence government and intimidate the Muslim community, and done for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, ideological or racial cause.”Rees told the jury: “Although there is no terrorist offence for you to consider in this case, the prosecution say that the note and the comments he made after his detention establish that this act of extreme violence was, indeed, an act of terrorism, designed to influence government and intimidate the Muslim community, and done for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, ideological or racial cause.”
Rees added: “The evidence shows that, although unwell, Mr Ali was alive just before the incident and his death resulted from the defendant driving the heavy van over him as he lay on the roadway.”Rees added: “The evidence shows that, although unwell, Mr Ali was alive just before the incident and his death resulted from the defendant driving the heavy van over him as he lay on the roadway.”
The jury heard Osborne had hired the van in Wales and driven from Cardiff to London the previous day “looking for a target”. He had intended to attack the al-Quds march but had then decided to attack a mosque in Finsbury Park.The jury heard Osborne had hired the van in Wales and driven from Cardiff to London the previous day “looking for a target”. He had intended to attack the al-Quds march but had then decided to attack a mosque in Finsbury Park.
Rees said: “To seek to kill someone merely because of their religion is a terrible thing. And what makes this act particularly horrific is that the group he drove into had gathered in the street in order to help Makram Ali, the deceased, who had collapsed as he walked along Seven Sisters Road a couple of minutes before the defendant carried out his attack.”Rees said: “To seek to kill someone merely because of their religion is a terrible thing. And what makes this act particularly horrific is that the group he drove into had gathered in the street in order to help Makram Ali, the deceased, who had collapsed as he walked along Seven Sisters Road a couple of minutes before the defendant carried out his attack.”
The crown said that Sarah Andrews, Osborne’s partner, had not previously regarded him as prejudiced. The crown said that Sarah Andrews, Osborne’s partner, had not previously regarded him as prejudiced. However, in the weeks before the attack his attitude changed after he watched Three Girls, a BBC TV drama about the Rochdale grooming scandal, and read extremist rightwing propaganda online that left him “brainwashed” and a “ticking time bomb”.
But in the weeks before the attack his attitude changed after he watched Three Girls, a BBC television drama about the Rochdale grooming scandal, and read extremist right wing propaganda online that left him “brainwashed” and a “ticking time bomb”. Rees told the jury: “Importantly, Ms Andrews will say she noticed that the defendant had become obsessed with Muslims in the weeks leading up to the incident. He accused them all of being rapists and belonging to paedophile gangs. The catalyst for his obsession appears to have been the broadcast of the BBC drama Three Girls, which they had watched together on the television. The drama was based on the true stories of victims of the Rochdale grooming gangs which comprised men of mainly British Pakistani origin.”
Rees told the jury: “Importantly, Ms Andrews will say she noticed that the defendant had become obsessed with Muslims in the weeks leading up to the incident.
“He accused them all of being rapists and belonging to paedophile gangs. The catalyst for his obsession appears to have been the broadcast of the BBC drama Three Girls, which they had watched together on the television. The drama was based on the true stories of victims of the Rochdale grooming gangs which comprised men of mainly British Pakistani origin.”
Osborne became obsessed with the scandal, the court heard, researching material on the internet from Tommy Robinson, co-founder of the English Defence League, and became increasingly vitriolic in his anti-Muslim rhetoric.Osborne became obsessed with the scandal, the court heard, researching material on the internet from Tommy Robinson, co-founder of the English Defence League, and became increasingly vitriolic in his anti-Muslim rhetoric.
Rees told the jury: “The defendant started making racist comments about all Muslims raping children and being capable of blowing people up. It appeared to her that he was becoming brainwashed.”Rees told the jury: “The defendant started making racist comments about all Muslims raping children and being capable of blowing people up. It appeared to her that he was becoming brainwashed.”
Rees, for the crown, said: “Ms Andrews pleaded with the defendant to stop, telling him that all Muslims did not behave in this manner, but he was not interested in her views. With the benefit of hindsight, she describes him as a ticking time bomb.”Rees, for the crown, said: “Ms Andrews pleaded with the defendant to stop, telling him that all Muslims did not behave in this manner, but he was not interested in her views. With the benefit of hindsight, she describes him as a ticking time bomb.”
After the BBC drama was broadcast, Islamist terrorism was blamed for attacks on the Manchester Arena, on May 22, 2017, and then London Bridge on June 3, 2017. After the BBC drama was broadcast, Islamist terrorism was blamed for attacks on the Manchester Arena, on 22 May 2017, and then London Bridge on 3 June 2017.
These attacks, according to Osborne’s partner, seemed to “fuel the rage inside him”.These attacks, according to Osborne’s partner, seemed to “fuel the rage inside him”.
Smartphones and computers showed Osborne viewing material from Britain First, which “campaigns primarily against multi-culturalism and what it sees as the Islamisisation of the UK”, Rees told the jury. Smartphones and computers showed Osborne viewing material from Britain First, that “campaigns primarily against multi-culturalism and what it sees as the Islamisisation of the UK”, Rees told the jury.
Rees said that, according to Osborne’s partner, he had not worked for a decade and had mental health issues. He added: “Ms Andrews says that the defendant has an unpredictable temperament; she describes him as a loner and a functioning alcoholic.”Rees said that, according to Osborne’s partner, he had not worked for a decade and had mental health issues. He added: “Ms Andrews says that the defendant has an unpredictable temperament; she describes him as a loner and a functioning alcoholic.”
“Ms Andrews recalls that the defendant threatened to take his life on two occasions in the weeks leading up to the incident by putting cable ties around his neck. She says he felt worthless and thought he did not fit in.”“Ms Andrews recalls that the defendant threatened to take his life on two occasions in the weeks leading up to the incident by putting cable ties around his neck. She says he felt worthless and thought he did not fit in.”
The jury heard that Osborne had written a note about his motivation for the attack. It had been found in the van and bore his fingerprints. It railed against the terrorist attacks in London and Manchester in the preceding months, and the Rotherham child abuse scandal.The jury heard that Osborne had written a note about his motivation for the attack. It had been found in the van and bore his fingerprints. It railed against the terrorist attacks in London and Manchester in the preceding months, and the Rotherham child abuse scandal.
It also said “Islam’s ideology does not belong here”, and taunted the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and the singer Lily Allen, jurors heard.It also said “Islam’s ideology does not belong here”, and taunted the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and the singer Lily Allen, jurors heard.
The jury heard that Osborne spent the night before the incident in a pub, where he was heard to say he was “going to kill all the Muslims” and to accuse all Muslims of being terrorists.The jury heard that Osborne spent the night before the incident in a pub, where he was heard to say he was “going to kill all the Muslims” and to accuse all Muslims of being terrorists.
The court heard that Osborne falsely claimed to be in the army and, challenged by a soldier on which regiment he had served with, he said: “You will find out tomorrow.”The court heard that Osborne falsely claimed to be in the army and, challenged by a soldier on which regiment he had served with, he said: “You will find out tomorrow.”
The trial began on Monday at Woolwich crown court in south-east London. Osborne appeared in the dock on Monday wearing a dark blue shirt and grey trousers and confirmed his identity.The trial began on Monday at Woolwich crown court in south-east London. Osborne appeared in the dock on Monday wearing a dark blue shirt and grey trousers and confirmed his identity.
The attack happened just after midnight on 19 June, when a rented van was driven into worshippers leaving Muslim Welfare House after prayers for Ramadan. Ali died from his injuries and others were wounded.The attack happened just after midnight on 19 June, when a rented van was driven into worshippers leaving Muslim Welfare House after prayers for Ramadan. Ali died from his injuries and others were wounded.
Osborne denies the murder of Ali and the attempted murder of people at the junction of Seven Sisters Road and Whadcoat Street, which is close to the mosque.Osborne denies the murder of Ali and the attempted murder of people at the junction of Seven Sisters Road and Whadcoat Street, which is close to the mosque.
The trial continues.The trial continues.
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