Extremist teacher plotted terror attacks on London gay bars

An ISIS-inspired teacher in east London has been convicted of plotting attacks on gay bars and public landmarks in London.

Umar Haque, 25, was on Friday found guilty of two counts of preparation of terrorist acts and one count of collection of information useful to terrorism.

The extremist had been an Islamic studies teacher at the private Lantern of Knowledge faith school in Leyton, east London, and had also worked at the Ripple Road mosque in Barking, east London.

The Old Bailey heard that he had abused the positions at the institutions to attempt to radicalise a number of children to build a home-grown jihadist army in the capital.

Haque kept a list of potential targets for ISIS-inspired attacks. A list of planned targets found by authorities in an orange exercise book included gay clubs in the capital.

His planned targets include up to 30 groups, businesses and establishments in London.

Haque told police that he did not like Britain because of “mass fornication, mass illicit behaviour” – though according to the Times, the police investigation discovered that he had been searching online for transgender prostitutes.

A further two men associated with Haque were also convicted of terror offences at the Old Bailey last week.

Abuthaher Mamun, 29, was found guilty of one count of preparation of terrorist acts. Muhammad Abid, 27, was found guilty of one count of having information about acts of terrorism.

Muhammad Abid