It’s why I call them beachheads, places for planning attacks and societal takeover…
‘He is teaching us terrorism’: Young Muslim boy tells court his ‘teacher trained pupils as young as 11 for a “big attack” on London and wanted to recruit 300 jihadis to Islamic State’
- Umar Haque, 25, allegedly plotted attacks with men at a mosque in east London
- Jurors heard the religious teacher told a group of boys that fighting was ‘good’
- He instructed them in various terrorism scenarios involving guns and bombs as he aimed to recruit 300 jihadis, it is claimed

Umar Haque, 25, pictured, allegedly plotted with men at a mosque in east London to attack Big Ben, the Queen’s Guard and Westfield shopping centre
A young Muslim boy has described how a teacher allegedly trained him for terrorism as he plotted a ‘big attack’ on London.
Umar Haque, 25, allegedly plotted with men at a mosque in east London to attack Big Ben, the Queen’s Guard and Westfield shopping centre and other targets around the capital.
Jurors heard the religious teacher told a group of 30 boys as young as 11 that fighting was ‘good’ and he was under orders from Islamic State.
He instructed them in various terrorism scenarios involving guns and bombs as he aimed to recruit 300 jihadis, it is claimed.
The Old Bailey trial was shown a videoed police interview with a child, who said: ‘He is teaching us terrorism, like how to fight.’
The youngster said: ‘He has been training us, kind of. Apparently fighting is good. If you fight for the sake of Allah, on Judgment Day when you get judged for your good deeds and bad deeds, fighting is good.
‘Umar has been teaching us how to fight, do push-ups, given strength and within six years he was planning to do a big attack on London.