Man who encouraged attack on UK's Prince George gets life in jail
LONDON (Reuters) - A British man who suggested Islamist militants should target four-year-old Prince George - destined to be Britain’s future king - was sentenced to life in jail on Friday.
Husnain Rashid, 32, from Nelson in northwest England, will serve a minimum of 25 years.
Rashid posted information on the messaging platform, Telegram, to encourage jihadis to carry out attacks around the world, along with information about possible targets.
Prosecutors said this included posting a picture of Prince George, son of Queen Elizabeth’s grandson Prince William and third-in-line to the throne, next to the silhouettes of two jihadi fighters.
The post included the address of his school in southwest London where he started last September and was accompanied with the caption “even the royal family will not be left alone”.
Rashid had initially denied the charges but during his trial at Woolwich Crown Court he changed his plea to guilty, admitting four terrorism charges.
“Today the world is just that little bit safer,” said Chief Superintendent Will Chatterton from Counter Terrorism Policing North West in a statement after sentencing.
“He had spent the past 18 months locked away in a bedroom of his parents’ house ... and spent hours making online posters and propaganda encouraging would-be terrorists to carry out the most gruesome attacks.”
Prosecutors said posts by Rashid, an unemployed former web-designer, also included a street map of New York’s Sixth Avenue with the caption “New York Halloween Parade. Have you made your preparations? The Countdown begins.”
His targets had also included Jewish communities and government buildings.
(This version changes minimum term to 25 from 24 years after amended information from police)
Editing by Stephen Addison