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Britain
Uber driver accused of preparing acts of terror 'dreamed of martyrdom'
2020-01-10
[SkyNews] Mohiussunnath Chowdhury had a list of targets which included London tourist attractions and public events such as Gay Pride.

An Uber driver cleared of launching a sword attack on police outside Buckingham Palace went on to plan another attack on tourists in central London, a jury has heard.

Mohiussunnath Chowdhury, 28, from Luton was "motivated by dreams of martyrdom for the cause of Islam, and inspired by preachers of hate", Woolwich Crown Court was told.

Duncan Atkinson QC, prosecuting, said Chowdhury was "keen to take part in an attack on a high profile and very public target in the UK".

Mr Atkinson said: "The targets mentioned included Madame Tussauds, the Gay Pride parade and an attack on tourists on a London open-top tour bus.

"The object was to unleash death and suffering on non-Moslem members of the public who happened to be present, using a firearm, sword and even a van as part of an attack."

The court heard that, in August 2017, the defendant had driven a car through police bollards outside Buckingham Palace and came to a halt in front of a police van.

Chowdhury was then involved in a violent altercation with two coppers as they struggled for control of a samurai sword the accused had inside his car.

The prosecutor said that the defendant had repeatedly shouted "holy shit! Allahu akbar" during the struggle.

A jury at his Old Bailey trial in 2019 believed Chowdhury's claims that he had not intended to commit an act of terror and that he had instead wanted to commit "suicide by cop". They found him not guilty and he was released.

The Crown claims that Chowdhury told undercover officers that he had indeed been trying to carry out a terrorist attack in 2017 and that he had "deceived" the earlier jury that acquitted him of those charges.

Chowdhury, who is accused of preparing acts of terror, is on trial alongside his sister Sneha Chowdhury, 25, who is accused of failing to disclose information relating to her brother's alleged attack plans.

His sister had "better reason that anyone to understand what her brother was thinking and wanting to achieve", Mr Atkinson said.

"Whilst she may have hoped that it was all over when he was released from prison - and that his acquittal meant he had not meant those things, his actions and his conversations with her after he was released in late December 2018 showed quite the opposite."

The pair were arrested after police stopped their vehicle in Luton on 3 July last year, as part of an investigation by Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command.

It is alleged that between 12 January and 3 July 2019, Mohiussunnath booked a firearms training course, requested and selected a firearm and researched potential attack targets and asked another person to do the same.
Related:
Mohiussunnath Chowdhury: 2018-12-21 Man acquitted of terror charge in Buckingham Palace sword attack
Related:
Luton: 2019-11-26 UK Parliament may See Record Number Of British-Pakistainers
Luton: 2019-08-04 Supporters of far-right activist Tommy Robinson clash with police in London
Luton: 2019-08-03 The priceless racism of the Duke of Edinburgh as told by Columbia Univ. head of Iranian Studies
Posted by:trailing wife

#7  Locked away longer requires Parliament to pass new laws, Dron66046. More people locked away just needs a single order to the police and prosecutors to enforce existing laws against previously de facto exempt populations... and also generates the statistics showing the need for new laws.
Posted by: trailing wife   2020-01-10 13:34  

#6  I won't believe Johnson's govt is any better unless these people are locked away for longer, most of them packed off to the shitholes they come from. This one's clearly from Bangladesh.
Posted by: Dron66046   2020-01-10 10:37  

#5  And what of the jurors in the original trial who believed his story ? Oops, my bad...
Posted by: Ackoopmed   2020-01-10 08:50  

#4  Or "loony", even.
Posted by: Angogum Gravising6322   2020-01-10 08:33  

#3  If it's "Tommy the loonie from Luton,
Disciple of Hitler and Scruton"
When Muslims are peaceful --
At least to the police...
Well, it's worse when Abdullah starts shootin'!
Posted by: Angogum Gravising6322   2020-01-10 08:30  

#2  Why is it that Uber seems to attract such wholesome people? This is like the dozenth moke I've read about with Uberish connections.
Posted by: Mercutio   2020-01-10 07:27  

#1  Grant him his dream.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2020-01-10 06:31  

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