It is said that despite having no qualifications, an alleged Islamic State extremist, Umar Ahmed Haque, 25, was able to infiltrate the school system. Haque attempted to radicalise 110 children aged between 11 to 14 as he planned to allegedly carry out terrorist attacks on targets including Tower Bridge and Big Ben.
Haque has been found guilty of grooming an “army of children” to carry out terrorist attacks. He taught evening classes at a mosque on Ripple Road, Barking, East London, where he is said to have secretly groomed boys by showing them videos of beheadings, as well as through terrorism role-play.
The Charity Commission announced an investigation into the mosques where the ringleader the London Bridge terror attack, Khuram Butt, 27, also worshipped.
Scotland Yard has revealed that Haque had access to about 250 children at the mosque, as well as at another school in East London where we worked as an administrator. It is said that 35 boys are still receiving support after they were exposed to violent and extremist material.
Head of counterterrorism at the Metropolitan Police, Commander Dean Haydon said, “His plan [Umar Ahmed Haque] was to create an army of children to assist in multiple terrorist attacks across London.”
Haque was found guilty of preparing terrorist acts and was dragged from the dock while he yelled support for ISIS. A fellow teacher at the mosque, Abuthaher Mamum, 19, who helped raise money for an attack by gambling, was also found guilty of preparing terrorist acts.
27-year-old Muhammad Abid faces being jailed for failing to inform police, while 26-year-old Nadeem Patel, was cleared of plotting with Haque but had previously admitted to possessing a gun. Patel has been sentenced to 16 months in jail whereas the others will be sentenced at a later date.
