A homegrown terrorist from Brighton, who was just 10 minutes away from getting a gun to launch an attack at Hyde Park, in London, has been jailed for life in his absence.
Edward Little, 22, had targeted a Christian preacher who regularly appeared at Speaker’s Corner but could have killed anyone who got in his way, police said.
Little, of Pelham Street, Brighton, who converted to Islam in prison, settled on the plan after rejecting a mass gun attack on the late Queen’s funeral in Westminster.
He was arrested on his way to buy a gun in south London and went on to plead guilty to preparing acts of terrorism.
Last month, three members of a crime gang were jailed for conspiring to provide Little with the gun although they did not know why it was being purchased.
Yesterday (Friday 15 December), Little refused to come to the Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey, in London, for his sentencing which went ahead without him.
In mitigation, Tom Godfrey said that Little had been under surveillance by the security forces or police.
Mr Godfrey said: “While I accept Mr Little was unaware that his activities were being monitored, the fact that he was being monitored demonstrates the unsophisticated nature of his planning.”
In a televised hearing, Dame Maura McGowan, known as Mrs Justice McGowan, jailed Little for life with a minimum term of 16 years.
She said that an attack at Speaker’s Corner would have risked the lives of many people had Little not been stopped.
She said: “That part of the park is famous for its tradition of free speech. Edward Little believed an attack there would send a strong message.
“Hyde Park is a highly popular location and a tourist attraction. Any attack there would risk the lives of many people of all faiths and from all over the world and you undoubtedly struck terror.”
She added: “You wanted to emulate what the murderers of Lee Rigby had done. You regretted that your preparations were too late to carry out an attack on the state funeral.”
The judge found that Little’s attack plan was “viable” and he posed a future danger to members of the public.
Speaking afterwards, Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright said: “This is a very, very dangerous man who’s been stopped from carrying out a terrorist attack – I’m absolutely convinced of that – and lives have been saved as a result.
“Obviously, he had a target at Speakers’ Corner but anyone who got in his way, like a police officer or members of the public, could have been at risk.”
Mr Wright, who is head of Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE), added: “The fact that Little decided he needed to plead guilty is testament to the quality of the investigation and the evidence that we were able to gather.
“This is what the network is here to do. We are here to stop terrorists in their tracks.”
Nick Price, head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said that the sentence reflected the “seriousness” of Little’s crime.
He said: “There can be little doubt as to what Edward Little’s intentions were on that day.
“He had conducted research on the location and his target and made arrangements to buy a gun. It was clear he intended to commit murder.
“Had it not been for his arrest, he would have been able to secure that firearm and carry out the attack which would have likely caused multiple deaths.”
Previously, the court heard how Little, who was British-born, converted to Islam at Cookham Wood Young Offender Institution, in Kent, and at Deerbolt Prison, in Co Durham, after he turned 18.
Last summer, he downloaded extremist propaganda including copies of the al-Qaida publication Inspire.
Little told of his desire to get hold of a Mac-10 submachine gun and AK-47 assault rifle in encrypted chats on the Threema messaging platform.
At one point, he wrote: “I don’t think there has been an attack in the UK with guns so a semi-automatic rifle would send a even stronger message.”
Duncan Penny, prosecuting, had said that Little planned to kill the Christian preacher Hatun Tash at Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park, anyone with her, as well as any police officers or soldiers in the area.
In his chats on Threema, Little referred to the well-known preacher as an “evil witch” and said that he could shoot her “point blank” and “everyone with her”.
Little said that he would wear a camera so he could live-stream the attack.
He also claimed that he “100 per cent” had a “brother in prison” who would be joining in the “operation”.
He said that he would travel to London for reconnaissance and see if it was best to “have us hit separate targets”.
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On Sunday 18 September last year, Little identified the Queen’s funeral – due to be held at Westminster Abbey the next day – as a possible alternative target.
It was suggested that “tyrants of the earth” would be there, to which Little responded: “I was just thinking that but unfortunately it’s too late.”
On Friday 23 September, Little set off with £5,000 in cash to buy a gun. He agreed to pay a taxi driver £300 to take him from Brighton to Lewisham, south London, saying money was no problem.
The plan was scuppered when armed police moved in to arrest him in south London.
Little declined to answer questions in police interviews but his mood changed when he was shown a YouTube view of the preacher.
He launched himself from his chair across the table at an officer, swinging repeatedly with his fists before being restrained.
He went on to admit assaulting the officer at Newbury Police Station on Wednesday 28 September last year and was sentenced to eight months in prison.
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Little had also pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent to a fellow inmate at Belmarsh prison on Monday 3 April.
He attacked the victim with boiling water mixed with sugar and two razor blades for “disrespecting” his religion.
Mrs Justice McGowan jailed Little for four years for that offence to run concurrently with his life sentence.
Previously, Little had been convicted of 14 offences in seven separate cases, including for robbery, having a knife and drug dealing, dating back to 2017.
In a separate case at Inner London Crown Court, three men were jailed after they admitted being party to a plot to sell Little a gun.
It was accepted that Tyler King, 21, Caleb Wenyeve, 21, and Brighton and Hove drug dealer Reis Forde, 27, did not know that the gun was for a terror attack.
King was jailed for 10 years and nine months for conspiracy to transfer a prohibited firearm.
Wenyeve was jailed for 12 years and Forde was jailed for 13 years and six months for the same offence.
Chief Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw, of Sussex Police, the divisional commander of Brighton and Hove, said: “We are pleased that a dangerous offender has been taken off our streets.
“This investigation demonstrates that we, along with our partners in CTPSE, will stop all forms of toxic ideology and acts of terrorism which have the potential to divide our communities and threaten the safety of the public.
“We understand incidents such as this occurring locally can be concerning but Little was stopped and, after a thorough and professional investigation, he has been prevented from causing a risk of harm to the public and the community.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who supported this investigation and helped to achieve this conviction.”
too close to comfort …. btw, where did the terrorist get the money from? … seems there was an insider undercover on-line police officer moderation the Threema messaging platform waiting to trap all the parties involved = looking forward for the doc-drama film next year
Easily – work, given it, etc. And it makes sense to hold off as long as possible to get hold of the bigger actors in a crime like this, rather than just small fry. This case is a prime example, caught more than one person involved.
But Islamists are peaceful law abiding people aren’t they?
Most people are. Is your point to highlight your own personal bigotry?