‘I spit at this country’: British Muslim convert plotted jihad car rammings on Oxford Street and Madame Tussauds

“I pledge allegiance to Islamic State and it’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi… I want nothing from Britain and I spit at this country.’

Another close call. Why do so many Muslim converts allegedly ‘misunderstand’ Islam in this exact same murderous way?  Where are Muslims teaching against the ideology that gave rise to it? If the moderates really reject extremism, let them show it by instituting genuine programs to teach against this view of Islam.

The Islamic jihadists refer to the texts and teachings of Islam — the Qur’an and the example of Muhammad — to justify their actions and make recruits among peaceful Muslims. Those Muslims who reject that understanding of Islam are not doing anything to combat it. There is, for example, not a single program in any mosque or Islamic school in the US to teach young Muslims to reject the Islamic State’s understanding of Islam. With the imams and jihadis energetically recruiting young Muslims in the US, that is a significant omission.

‘I spit at this country’: British Muslim convert scoped out Oxford Street and Madame Tussauds for terror attacks after going to Anjem Choudary rallies

• Lewis Ludlow, from Kent, converted to Islam and attended Choudary rallies
• He wanted to join ISIS in the Philippines, but was stopped from travelling
• Investigators uncovered video of him swearing allegiance to ISIS leader
• He plotted Oxford Street attack while meeting deradicalisation group Prevent
• He was referred to the group in 2008 but he repeatedly failed to show up
• Defence say he had autism and turned to radical groups after being bullied

By Richard Spillett and Duncan Gardham For Mailonline, 3 January 2019

A British-born Muslim convert said ‘I spit at Britain’ in an ISIS allegiance video as he plotted to slaughter shoppers in a ‘ram attack’ outside Oxford Street’s Disney store.

Lewis Ludlow, a former Royal Mail worker from the upmarket Kent town of Rochester, became radicalised after converting to Islam and attending the poppy-burning rallies of hate preacher Anjem Choudary.

The 27-year-old then tried to join a new ISIS group in the Philippines, but was stopped from travelling and so began hatching plans for an attack in London.

He plotted a vehicle attack on Oxford Street or Madame Tussauds while, at the same time, meeting officials from the deradicalisation programme Prevent.

The convert had been offered three different courses of deradicalisation since he first came to the group’s attention in 2008, but repeatedly failed to show up.

Investigators then found a torn-up letter setting out his vehicle attack plot, and a video in which he said: ‘I pledge allegiance to Islamic State and it’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi… I want nothing from Britain and I spit at this country.’

British Muslim convert Lewis Ludlow, who plotted a terror attack in London after being stopped from travelling to the Philippines

Police recovered torn-up scraps of a letter Ludlow had written, setting out his plans

An investigation revealed he was preparing to drive a van into shoppers on Oxford Street or near tourist hotspot Madame Tussauds.

Prosecutor Mark Dawson told an earlier hearing: ‘This was a plot to cause mass fatalities using a vehicle in Oxford Street targeting among other places the Disney store or pedestrians in and around Oxford Street at its busiest times.

‘In one of his notes he talks of causing upwards of 100 fatalities.’

Ludlow was under surveillance when he was observed at an internet cafe on Portland Street in London’s West End on March 16this year where he researched ‘busy shopping centres.’

He wrote notes on his planned attack, including: ‘Long road with no bollards or barriers preventing a van mounting the pavement.’

Ludlow admitted charges of preparing acts of terrorism and funding terror and was sentenced today.