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| Brusthom Ziamani: Teenager guilty of plot to behead soldier | Brusthom Ziamani: Teenager guilty of plot to behead soldier |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A teenager who was on his way to behead a British soldier with a 12in knife when he was arrested, has been found guilty of preparing a terrorist act. | A teenager who was on his way to behead a British soldier with a 12in knife when he was arrested, has been found guilty of preparing a terrorist act. |
| Brusthom Ziamani, 19, was also carrying a hammer and an "Islamic flag" when he was arrested in London in August 2014. | Brusthom Ziamani, 19, was also carrying a hammer and an "Islamic flag" when he was arrested in London in August 2014. |
| The court heard he had been inspired by the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in 2013, researched Army c adet bases and boasted of a plot to "kill soldiers". | |
| Ziamani, of Camberwell, London, will be sentenced on 20 March. | Ziamani, of Camberwell, London, will be sentenced on 20 March. |
| He was arrested in east London at about 16:30 BST on 19 August as part of a joint police and MI5 intelligence operation. | He was arrested in east London at about 16:30 BST on 19 August as part of a joint police and MI5 intelligence operation. |
| Earlier that day, police say he visited his former girlfriend, where he showed her the knife and hammer and told her he intended to attack and kill soldiers. | Earlier that day, police say he visited his former girlfriend, where he showed her the knife and hammer and told her he intended to attack and kill soldiers. |
| Commander Richard Walton, from the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command, said the teenager's plot "starkly illustrates" one of the threats facing the UK. | Commander Richard Walton, from the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command, said the teenager's plot "starkly illustrates" one of the threats facing the UK. |
| "Ziamani was an impressionable young man who became radicalised then rapidly developed an extremist, violent mindset," he said. | "Ziamani was an impressionable young man who became radicalised then rapidly developed an extremist, violent mindset," he said. |
| "Over a series of months, he ultimately developed a desire to carry out a terrorist attack on British soldiers." | "Over a series of months, he ultimately developed a desire to carry out a terrorist attack on British soldiers." |
| Mr Walton added that police had probably prevented a "horrific terrorist attack taking place on the streets of London". | Mr Walton added that police had probably prevented a "horrific terrorist attack taking place on the streets of London". |
| 'Lengthy sentence' | 'Lengthy sentence' |
| The jury at London's Old Bailey convicted Ziamani of preparing an act of terrorism on or before 20 August last year after deliberating for more than a day. | The jury at London's Old Bailey convicted Ziamani of preparing an act of terrorism on or before 20 August last year after deliberating for more than a day. |
| Ziamani's barrister, Naeem Mian, told Judge Timothy Pontius that the teenager could expect the sentence to be one of "considerable length" but pointed to the fact that he was still "a young man who has no previous convictions at all". | Ziamani's barrister, Naeem Mian, told Judge Timothy Pontius that the teenager could expect the sentence to be one of "considerable length" but pointed to the fact that he was still "a young man who has no previous convictions at all". |
| The judge adjourned the case until next month to consider the sentence. | The judge adjourned the case until next month to consider the sentence. |
| Ziamani, who was dressed in a grey and blue tracksuit, made no reaction to the verdict and sat impassively in the dock before being led away. | Ziamani, who was dressed in a grey and blue tracksuit, made no reaction to the verdict and sat impassively in the dock before being led away. |
| Ziamani converted to Islam in April 2014 and his extremist views "rapidly developed over a few months", the Met Police say. | Ziamani converted to Islam in April 2014 and his extremist views "rapidly developed over a few months", the Met Police say. |
| During the trial, jurors heard how Ziamani had fallen in with members of al-Muhajiroun - an extremist organisation - after he was "kicked out" of home after converting to Islam. | During the trial, jurors heard how Ziamani had fallen in with members of al-Muhajiroun - an extremist organisation - after he was "kicked out" of home after converting to Islam. |
| Police say the group played a "major role in influencing and shaping his radical views". | Police say the group played a "major role in influencing and shaping his radical views". |
| Sweet shop meetings | Sweet shop meetings |
| He attended the group's talks in the basement of a halal sweet shop in Whitechapel, London, and bought a black flag to take on their demonstrations, saying "I'm going to rock it everywhere I go in the kaffirs' face". | He attended the group's talks in the basement of a halal sweet shop in Whitechapel, London, and bought a black flag to take on their demonstrations, saying "I'm going to rock it everywhere I go in the kaffirs' face". |
| He posted comments on Facebook saying that he was "willing to die in the cause of Allah" and saying: "Sharia law on its way on our streets. | He posted comments on Facebook saying that he was "willing to die in the cause of Allah" and saying: "Sharia law on its way on our streets. |
| "We will implement it, it's part of our religion." | "We will implement it, it's part of our religion." |
| The trial heard how Ziamani had described Michael Adebolajo - one of the men who murdered Fusilier Rigby in Woolwich, south-east London - as a "legend". | The trial heard how Ziamani had described Michael Adebolajo - one of the men who murdered Fusilier Rigby in Woolwich, south-east London - as a "legend". |
| When Ziamani had been arrested in June last year on an unrelated matter, police found a ripped-up letter in his jeans pocket, in which he had written about mounting an attack on a British soldier. | When Ziamani had been arrested in June last year on an unrelated matter, police found a ripped-up letter in his jeans pocket, in which he had written about mounting an attack on a British soldier. |
| It outlined his plan to wage war against the British government, stating that "we should do a 9/11, 7/7 and a Woolwich all in one day." | It outlined his plan to wage war against the British government, stating that "we should do a 9/11, 7/7 and a Woolwich all in one day." |
| Ziamani was then bailed, but refused to to engage with officers from the government's anti-terrorism programme, Prevent. | Ziamani was then bailed, but refused to to engage with officers from the government's anti-terrorism programme, Prevent. |
| 'Felt threatened' | 'Felt threatened' |
| During the trial Ziamani denied he had been planning an attack similar to the murder of Fusilier Rigby. | During the trial Ziamani denied he had been planning an attack similar to the murder of Fusilier Rigby. |
| He said his Facebook postings had been an attempt to "fit in" with the al-Muhajiroun group "because they were giving me places to stay and they did not like moderate Islam". | He said his Facebook postings had been an attempt to "fit in" with the al-Muhajiroun group "because they were giving me places to stay and they did not like moderate Islam". |
| He also denied the hammer, knife and flag he had at the time of his arrest amounted to a terror "tool kit". | He also denied the hammer, knife and flag he had at the time of his arrest amounted to a terror "tool kit". |
| He said he had felt threatened after leaving a credit card theft scam. | He said he had felt threatened after leaving a credit card theft scam. |