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A man on trial for terrorism offences glorified Islamic State (IS) and had a 12-inch machete beside his bed, a court heard.
Ayub Khan, 20, allegedly sent WhatsApp videos and messages glorifying the activities of Al-Qaeda and IS between May 1 and 3, 2020.
Police searched Khan’s address in Ealing, west London, on November 16, 2021 and allegedly found messages sent from his iPhone to a group chat named ‘Salafiyyah’.
A 12-inch machete with a nylon sheath and a brown wooden handle was lying uncovered beside Khan’s bed, jurors at the Old Bailey were told.
In his wardrobe police also found a black flag with emblazoned with a white religious script calling for Jihad which he had bought on Ebay, the court heard.
Robin Sellers, prosecuting, told jurors: ‘This defendant was radicalised by his exposure to terrorist material, alongside his brother.
‘He… disseminated terrorist publications and purchased a knife at a time that his mind was clearly captivated by terrorist thoughts and motivations.’
A beheading video and a video from ISIS depicting the destruction of places of worship were also discovered associated with Khan’s Snapchat account, the court heard.
Mr Sellers said: ‘There is no deleting of it, condemning of it, no decrying of it.’
Ayub Khan, 20, is currently on trial at the Old Bailey (pictured) accused of terrorism offences
Khan sent a video on May 1, 2020 containing speech which encourages Muslims to undertake Jihad and fight, the court heard.
In the video, he allegedly claimed going to Afghanistan to fight ‘is a good praiseworthy action’.
In a voice message sent on May 3, jurors heard a voice, alleged to be Khan, saying: ‘May Allah grant victory to the Taliban.
‘May Allah aid them in destroying China, saving the Muslims from the oppression of the Chinese Ameen.
‘May Allah destroy the Shia in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Yemen. May Allah aid wherever they are and unite the Salifiyah to destroy the oppressors ameen.’
Mr Sellers said Khan later sent a text in the group which read ‘Allhamdulilah’.
The prosecutor said: ‘Meaning praise Allah, so it is an endorsement and, the Crown say, shows him acknowledging it favourably.’
Khan glorified ‘gunshots in your legs and all that stuff, every bullet hole means something, for every stab wound I have I kill 10 American and 10 Chinese men,’ the court heard.
Mr Sellers said this was a clear endorsement and progression of Khan’s hardening stance.
He said: ‘Ayub Khan posts five audio messages promoting Jihadi violence. This shows an intensifying of his motives and beliefs.’
Another shared message on WhatsApp contained an extract of a Somali individual who declares that any of his countrymen who promote the Shia branch of the Islamic religion should be beheaded.
Members of the group chat responded negatively saying ‘I’m deradicalized’ and ‘You man are off it’ but Khan doubles-down and quoting the Somali radical, saying ‘Chop their heads off’.
The hostility between Sunni and Shia sects of Islam is common ideology of IS and Al-Qaeda teachings.
A video shared with Khan by his brother, Mohammed Zubair Khan, 22, on Snapchat is colloquially called ‘the neighing of horses’ where an ISIS militant is seen in religious chant.
‘The purpose of the video is to glorify terrorist activities in particular regions and promote fighting in areas where the terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda is said to operate,’ Mr Sellers said.
The brothers frequently had conversations discussing the benefits of Sharia law over Democratic law, the merits of suicide bombing and the Taliban.
In a police interview Khan wrote a prepared statement where he said: ‘I belong to Alperton Mosque which I attend a few times a week to pray and attend lessons in Islamic studios.
‘I have not just started practices Islam. I’ve always been a part of the Islamic community from birth.
‘I am strongly against Islamic terrorist organisations which the mosque I attend teaches and warns us against terrorism in such groups. The mosque I attend is in Wembley. I’m strongly against Islamic terrorism organisations.’
He answered no comment to all other questions put to him.
Khan, of Fishers Close, Ealing, denies three counts of disseminating terrorist material and one count of possessing an article connected with the commission of an act of terrorism between October 18 and November 17 2021.
The trial continues.
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