Schoolboys 'plotted to bomb Parliament and Buckingham Palace but were thwarted by mother'

The pair, both 15, allegedly also planned to behead people and kill their families

The pair allagedly plotted to attack Buckingham Palace (Getty)

Two schoolboys in Newcastle plotted a series of terrorist attacks in England, a court has heard.

The youths, now aged 16, appeared in Newcastle Crown Court today and admitted conspiracy to make an explosive substance for unlawful purpose.

The pair, aged 15 at the time of the offences, had planned to bomb the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and a local school.

They had begun amassing chemicals, pipes and fuses to make devices based on a recipe in the Anarchist’s Cookbook to carry out the attacks. However, one boy’s mother found the substances in his room and contacted the police.

The court was told that the youths had been caught in conversations on Skype discussing killing families, beheading people on camera, killing themselves and fantasising about going on the run as wanted men.

Prosecutor Nick Dry told the court: “The conversation reveals that they were looking to sell drugs in order to fund the purchase of materials to make pipe bombs and a firearm.

“Potential targets discussed included a local public school, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and a random shopping centre.

“Escape plans were discussed along with potential suicide, both defendants stating that it was what they had wanted for a long time and agreeing to source the constituent parts of pipe bombs.

“[One defendant] was keen that he end his own life, suicide [was] his priority although [he was] happy to go along with [the other defendant’s] desire to kill others with a view to being remembered.

“Orders were placed for various chemicals with a view to making explosives.”

The court was also told: “Their conversation was captured and revealed plans for a drug fuelled rampage, wherein they spoke of killing families in their own homes, referencing Lee Rigby and Raoul Moat and expressing their desire to spend their final days as wanted men.

“One was also keen to make a beheading video and not to be taken alive.

“Other material evinced a hatred of Jews and blacks.”

In December of last year, the mother of one of the boys searched his room and discovered a number of materials and substances. She called the police who seized a number of chemicals.

On the way to the police station, he was heard singing to himself and uttering ‘no surrender.’

One of the boys’ lawyers told the court that the boy had been suffering from mental health issues at the time. He said: “Thanks to the actions of their parents, this offending was stopped in its tracks. Since they were sending ridiculous Skype messages and talking nonsense, they have calmed down and are looking to the future.”