A jihadi rapper accused of plotting a terror attack during lockdown filmed himself in a combat-style hat saying: ‘What, are you talking to me? … boom!’
Jurors in the Old Bailey trial of Sahayb Abu, 27, were shown a series of homemade videos he sent to his 32-year-old brother Muhamed Abu on June 30 last year.
He is on trial alongside his brother who allegedly knew he was planning an act of terrorism but failed to report it.
Unemployed Sahayb Abu had bought an 18-inch sword, a knife, balaclava, gloves, hat and combat body armour online before his arrest on July 9, the court heard.
In one video, he donned headwear he had purchased on Amazon.
Sahayb Abu, 27, wearing a military-style hat and face-covering. He bought an 18 inch gladiator-style sword, a combat vest, two balaclavas, fingerless gloves and a combat hat as he allegedly prepared his attack last year
He pointed out his ‘bad man hat’, adding: ‘Everyone’s doing this face mask thing.’
He looked at the camera and said: ‘What, are you talking to me? … Boom!’
He put on the balaclava and said: ‘Guess who? Uh huh, yeah.’
‘There’s this one that covers the mouth, just slits that cover the eyes. They do the job still, you know what I’m saying?’
In another video he rapped in a hat and face covering.
He spoke about ‘militant born, militant wear’ and ‘militant camo’ (camouflage).
He concluded by saying he was ‘just waiting on the body armour… the body armour stop a bullet’.
Sahayb Aweys Munye Abu, 27, was arrested by officers from the Met Police Counter Terrorism Command during the raids in London and Leicestershire on July 9. Pictured: One of the raids in London
He then gestured with his hands imitating firing a gun and exclaimed: ‘Boom!’
During the three months before his arrest, it is claimed that Sahayb Abu made 110 searches for Islamic State.
In one post from May 27, Abu wrote: ‘I, as a Muslim, will be the first to tell you that Islam is for war, hostage taking, killing infidels, fighting tyranny, taking war booty, taking women of the enemy as concubines.’
In messages allegedly exchanged on the same day with his brothers, Abu added: ‘Boris is going to do well for the ummah [Muslim nation] and he doesn’t even know it.
‘His treachery, stupidity and deceit will cause major riots and economic strife to this country to the extent they’re gonna have to set up a Go Fund Me account for their crusade wars against the ummah of Muhammad.’
A squad of officers burst into a house on Ilfracombe Gardens in Goodmayes, Redbridge, shortly before handcuffing a man from inside. Separate video from a neighbouring property near Green Lane by Goodmayes Park also showed armed police descending on a block of flats last year
He is said to have saved Osama bin Laden’s ‘letter to America’ from November 2002, two months after 9/11, which justified the killing of civilians.
On May 21, Muhamed used the internet to look up Khalid Masood, the killer of PC Keith Palmer in a vehicle and knife attack in Westminster in March 2017, the court heard.
The same day, Sahayb allegedly saved mocked-up images on Whatsapp of Big Ben on fire, the US Capitol in flames, and a burning EU flag.
The Abu brothers were arrested following an operation involving the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command at their London addresses in July 2020.
When interviewed by police, Sahayb Abu is said to have denied being a supporter of IS.
He allegedly told officers he bought the 18 inch blade because it ‘looked cool’.
Sahayb Abu, of Dagenham, east London, denies preparation of terrorist acts.
Muhamed Abu, of South Norwood, south-east London, denies failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism.