But the British authorities were far too busy hounding and persecuting foes of jihad terror to take much notice of him, and when they did consider his case, they were far too committed to the dogma that Islam is a Religion of Peace to doubt that he was rehabilitated and now a trustworthy, loyal citizen.
“Usman Khan profile: terrorist who wanted to bomb London Stock Exchange,” Guardian, November 30, 2019:
Usman Khan, the suspect shot dead in the 29 November 2019 terror attack near London Bridge, had been released from jail after being convicted of terror offences, including plotting to attack the London Stock Exchange in 2010.
Khan was part of a gang of nine extremists from Stoke-on-Trent, Cardiff and London who were sentenced in February 2012 at Woolwich crown court. He had planned to establish a “terrorist military training facility” on land owned by his family in Kashmir, according to sentencing remarks.
Khan, at 19, was the youngest of the group. In his sentencing remarks Mr Justice Wilkie said Khan and two others were “more serious jihadis” than the others.
Khan was originally classed as never to be released unless deemed no longer a threat but this condition was later lifted.
He was freed in licence in December 2018.
Wilkie said Khan and his co-accused Nazam Hussain and Mohammed Shahjahan were planning to fund and establish the terrorist training school, with Khan and Hussain planning to leave the UK in January 2011 to train.
Khan appealed against the decision in 2013 before Lord Justice Leveson, sitting with Mr Justice Mitting and Mr Justice Sweeney. It was decided that his sentence would go from 18 to 16 years, along with five-year extended licence periods.
The court of appeal judgment said: “The groups were clearly considering a range of possibilities including fundraising for the establishment of a military training madrasa in Pakistan, where they would undertake training themselves and recruit others to do likewise, sending letter bombs through the post, attacking public houses used by British racist groups, attacking a high-profile target with an explosive device and a Mumbai-style attack.”
Khan’s lawyer, Joel Bennathan, said at the time of the offence his client was 19. Notes from the appeal hearing say: “Mr Bennathan put the matter on behalf of Khan in this way. At the time of the offence, he was a 19-year-old, whose ambition was to bring sharia law to Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, his ancestral home. The madrasa had not been built (and there was no evidence that there was any real funding to build it); he had no access to terrorist training and it was highly unrealistic to suppose that the authorities in Pakistan would allow a teenager from Stoke to impose sharia law or run a training school for terrorists.”
It is also noted: “Conversation about bombing public houses in Stoke (in any event, not included within the allegation in the indictment) was no more than angry talk within some four minutes of young men responding to racist incidents in Stoke.”
In a July 2013 report the independent reviewer of terrorism wrote that Khan was one of one of three men from Stoke who had travelled to Pakistan’s federally administered tribal areas (Fata) and planned to fund, construct and take part in a terrorist training camp in Kashmir, with a view to carrying out terrorist acts in the future. They were part of a group that had copies of the al-Qaida English-language extremist magazine, Inspire, and had considered putting letter bombs in the post.
The extremists talked about setting off a pipe bomb in the toilets of the London Stock Exchange, as well as in pubs in Stoke, the Woolwich court heard. A handwritten target list belonging to the group listed the names and addresses of the then London mayor, Boris Johnson, the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, two rabbis, the US embassy in London and the stock exchange.
Group members were bugged and heard claiming that fewer than 100,000 Jews died in the Holocaust and talking about how Hitler had been on the same side as the Muslims because he understood that “the Jews were dangerous”….
PRCS says
What did Mum and Dad say about their dear child at the trial?
Have they been queried about his final act of Muslim piety?
Gary says
But but but….. Obama told us the future does not belong to those who would “offend” that peace loving hippy mohammad?!
Lotus says
A couple of Ahmadiyya imams went to London Bridge to lay flowers. Seems like a publicity stunt to me.
One said: “The word Islam actually means peace, so when you have a Muslim terrorist, it’s an oxymoron because it translates to peaceful terrorist.”
Oh dear, more nonsense from a group who are not even considered to be Muslims by their co-religionists.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/30/the-day-after-at-london-bridge-we-are-still-here-singing
elee says
EVERY MUSLIM IS A SLEEPER
Marigold says
There is a lot more to come considering the size of the Muslim population in the UK and the imams are doing nothing
Rufolino says
The imams are doing much more than “nothing” !
Everywhere they are preaching hate.
Infidel says
Given that his parents were from Pak occupied Kashmir – a territory claimed by India – I’m surprised that the UK media, which likes to camouflage Muslims as ‘Asians’ didn’t call him an Indian – thereby pandering to both India (by acknowledging the area as legally India’s) and Muslims (by passing him off as an Indian, rather than a Muslim)
Battle says
Joel Bennathan, Khan’s lawyer stated highly unlikely Pakistan authorities would allow a 19 year old to run a madrass teaching terrorists.
Pakistan authorities are highly likely to allow a 19 year old to run a madrass teaching terrorism.
Joel Bennathan is a naive fool or knowingly lying?
Angemon says
Or, in other words, he wanted but he was unable to due to circumstances out of his control, therefore everything is fine…
gravenimage says
UK: London Bridge jihad murderer was son of Muslim migrants, wanted to bomb London Stock Exchange
………………….
Just being a good Muslim…