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Anzac Day Isis terror plot: British teenager admits inciting 'beheading' attack in Australia

Messages included: 'Suggest you break into someone's house and get your first taste of beheading'

Alexander Sehmer
Thursday 23 July 2015 12:51 BST
The Old Bailey heard that the boy sent instant messages to another man suggesting he carry out a beheading
The Old Bailey heard that the boy sent instant messages to another man suggesting he carry out a beheading (Getty)

A 15-year-old British boy has pleaded guilty to inciting a planned Isis-style terror attack on an Anzac Day parade in Australia.

The boy, who is from Blackburn in Lancashire, was accused of inciting another person, 18-year-old Sevdet Besim, to carry out a terror attack that would target Australian police officers.

He sent thousands of instant messages to Besim over a 10-day period suggesting the man carry out the attack, the Old Bailey heard.

In one message on 28 March, the British boy, who was 14 at the time he sent the messages, said: "Suggest you break into someone's house and get your first taste of beheading."

Besim replied that it "seemed a little risky", prosecutor Paul Greaney QC told the court.

The alleged plot was uncovered because Besim was under surveillance.

Besim had been a friend of Abdul Numan Haider, a youth who was under investigation by an Australian terrorism task force and who was shot dead after he attacked a Melbourne police officer last year.

Mr Greaney said the messages showed "the intentions of the plotters" as well as demonstrating support for Isis and "their enthusiasm" that an attack be carried out.

The attack was intended to be carried out during an Anzac day parade in Australia (Getty)

The boy pleaded guilty to inciting terrorism via video link from Manchester Crown Court.

A second charge of inciting terrorism overseas in relation to beheading a person in Australia was dropped by the prosecution.

The court was told the two teenagers had a shared intention through their support for Isis, the violent Islamist group based in Iraq and Syria.

Mr Justice Saunders ordered pre-sentence reports in particular to find out if there was any "indoctrination".

He said: "I want some assessment of how and why it occurred and what measures could be taken in order to reverse that process. Dealing with someone of this age is an extremely difficult sentencing process and I will need all the help I can get."

The boy, dressed in a grey shirt and tie, is being held in an unidentified youth detention centre in the North-west of England.

Sentencing was adjourned to September 3 at Manchester Crown Court.

(Additional reporting by agencies)

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