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Islamist reportedly planned attack on Jews and White Hart Lane
Court hears how Somalian Aweys Shikhey allegedly discussed killing former PM David Cameron, the Queen, and targeting Jewish people in London
A delivery driver discussed killing members of Tottenham’s Jewish community and attacking White Hart Lane, before attempting to join Islamic State, a court has heard.
Somalian Aweys Shikhey allegedly talked about killing former prime minister David Cameron and the “old woman Elizabeth”, as well as shooting Jewish people and launching an AK47 attack at White Hart Lane, then-home to Tottenham Hotspur football club.
The Old Bailey heard how Shikhey, 38, led a double life and dreamed of travelling to take part in violent jihad after moving to Tottenham, north London, which has a significant Jewish population.
He tried to raise money by applying for various loans, securing £10,000 from Barclays for a “wedding”, jurors were told. In the spring of 2017, he borrowed more money from his boss to help him visit his two wives and children in Holland and Kenya, the court heard. But the prosecution claimed his ultimate aim before his arrest in May last year was to travel to Istanbul, and then further east from there.
His terrorist mindset was allegedly revealed in encrypted chat on Threema and Telegram with a fellow Somalian living in Kenya. Prosecutor Barnaby Jameson told jurors: “The defendant displayed a violent attitude towards this country symbolised by killing the then prime minister and the Queen.”
The exchanges were revealed on Abdirahman Idris Hassan’s computer after he was arrested for alleged terrorism offences in September 2016. Mr Jameson said the chat would never have seen the light of day had Hassan not been detained in east Africa. The messages dating back to May 31 2016 also revealed Shikhey had been thinking about travelling to take part in jihad for a year.
The defendant told Hassan there were “a lot of Jews” in the area of Stamford Hill in north London.
Hassan talked of “smelling fuel … like you are lighting cigarette then burn them as much as possible”.
But Shikhey allegedly replied: “No brother. It is good to shoot them live.”
Hassan went on to ask if the defendant could buy bullets and a gun in the UK and Shikhey said three or five people were needed to “carry out a bloody attack”.
He said it would be best to find AK47s and other automatic weapons, adding: “They could have been taken to Stamford Hill and when people leave from their game.”
Mr Jameson said it appeared to be a reference to White Hart Lane, home to Tottenham Hotspur football club.
The club’s supporters, have been nicknamed the ‘Yids’, owing to their historical Jewish following, which has often been criticised as an anti-Semitic chant. They have also been subjected to sickening anti-Semitic chanting at games, owing to their Jewish supporters.
Hassan wrote: “May God bestow you in killing David Cameron and the old woman Elizabeth”, in apparent reference to the Queen.
The defendant allegedly replied : “Amen, brother.”
The lawyer said: “It’s interesting to see the reaction from Hassan. This appears to have caused him a great deal of amusement.
“Was this just banter or does the exchange give you a real insight into the way these two men were thinking?”
Shikhey, who has a Dutch passport, denies preparing terrorist acts on or before May 23 last year.
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