A teenager was convicting of grooming a former schoolfriend who had learning difficulties to commit terror barbarity. New findings reveal that the convicted teenager had links with the 7/7 bombers.
Kazi Islam, who was then aged 17, had tried to contrive his friend into purchasing chemicals for a bomb and also to follow in the footsteps of the killers of Fusilier Lee Rigby, by assassinating and beheading a soldier. He is said to have “ruthlessly exploited” his former classmate, Harry Thomas (19), who suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Islam, of East London, was found guilty at the Old Bailey of preparing to commit acts of terrorism. He is also the nephew of Kazi Nurur Rahman, who was an accomplice of the 2005 London bombers, jailed for trying to buy Uzi sub-machine guns and shoulder-launched missiles in an MI5 sting operation. He was released four years ago, after completing half of his nine-year sentence.
Islam is the third teenager to be convicted on terrorism charges in the past year, who admitted to having links with al-Muhajiroun, the banned group founded by the Islamist Anjem Choudary.
Harry Thomas was said to be a vulnerable and influenceable young man. He had only a few friends and was who had few friends and was desperate to please Kazi Islam.
During the trial, it was revealed that Islam was sending explicit messages to girls he scarcely knew.
Kazi Islam will be sentenced on 29th May 2015.
