Court Shown Plans For Alleged 'Lone Wolf' Drone Attack On Army Or Police

The trial is taking place at the Old Bailey in London (Picture: PA).

A jury has been shown what the prosecution says are detailed plans for a drone attack and what the Crown says is evidence of preparation for a knife attack.

Hisham Muhammad is charged with preparing acts of terrorism and the prosecution alleges he was planning a "lone wolf" attack on the British Army or police using a specially-adapted drone, knives, axes and Japanese 'ninja eggs'.

His housemate and cousin, Faisal Abu Ahmad is charged with failing to inform the police about Mr Muhammad’s activities.

Anne Whyte, for the prosecution, showed the jury photographs of pages taken from an exercise book, which the prosecution said is highly significant.

The book contained a series of notes about different types of drones and their various payload and range capabilities.

Inside the exercise book, there were multiple drawings and diagrams - the prosecution alleges these show designs for a release mechanism to be attached underneath a drone to allow it to drop something on to a chosen target.

Also found at the defendants' address in Whitefield, Bury, Greater Manchester, were a number of Army recruitment leaflets bearing the 'be the best' slogan and a letter dated May 1 2018, written by a Lance Corporal Cunningham based at Castle Armoury Barracks in Bury, who described himself as an Army recruiter.

In the prosecution's opening statement, Miss Whyte alleged Mr Muhammad pretended to be interested in joining the Army in order to help him research potential targets for an attack.

The court was shown photographs of cardboard boxes with large slash marks found in the recycling bins at the defendants' home, and images of several knives found, including blades ranging from 9cm to 20cm in length.

Also found were two so-called 'ninja eggs' - these were found with the contents removed and a mixture of crushed glass and chilli inserted inside.

The outside of the eggs had been decorated with black marker pen.

On Monday, the jury was given a clear plastic bag containing the crushed glass and chilli mixture to examine.

The prosecution said if such a substance came into contact with the human eye it could disorientate and cause harm.

The jury was read a statement taken from a local postman named Samuel Kelly, who said he delivered regularly to the defendants' Greater Manchester address.

Mr Kelly said the number of parcels he delivered to the address had risen significantly in the 18 months leading up to the arrest of the two men, and stated he would sometimes deliver as many as six packages or parcels to their house.

He said he had noticed that many of the parcels originated from China or Malaysia and the description of their contents was listed as "cosmetics".

Mr Kelly added he got to know the two men by sight as they would sometimes have to sign for the deliveries.

He described them as pleasant but not engaging in conversation and with unusual accents, possibly American.

In his statement, Mr Kelly said he thought it was unusual for two males to receive so many cosmetics.

He also described handling one particularly heavy jiffy bag which listed the contents as cosmetics but which Mr Kelly said felt like metal chains and not like cosmetics.

He took the decision to speak to the police when he passed the house on his rounds and noticed it was cordoned off for a police search.

Both defendants deny the charges.