Image copyright Social media Image caption Lewis Ludlow appeared at the Old Bailey via a videolink from prison

A man has pleaded guilty to plotting a terror attack on London's Oxford Street and raising money for terrorism.

Lewis Ludlow, 26, planned to hire a van and hit pedestrians and also targeted Madame Tussauds and St Paul's Cathedral, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey and is due to be sentenced on 2 November.

Ludlow, who also used the name Ali Hussain, had hoped to kill up to 100 people.

A spokesman for the CPS said he had been under 24-hour armed police surveillance.

Ludlow, from Rochester, Kent, first came to the attention of police in 2010 when he attended a demonstration led by radical preacher Anjem Choudary and his banned Al-Muhajiroun group.

When Ludlow was arrested in 2015, Islamic State group material was found on his electronic devices but no further action was taken.

He had also been in contact with Junaid Hussain, an IS fighter from the UK who was killed in drone strike in 2016, the prosecution said.

Police also observed Ludlow at Al-Muhajiroun group demonstrations, where he was seen with, or near, Anjem Choudary and Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebowale.

Image copyright CPS Image caption Ludlow claimed he was travelling to the Philippines as a sex tourist

In January, Ludlow bought a ticket to fly to the Philippines but he was stopped at the airport and his passport seized.

He claimed he was going to the country as a sex tourist but was found to have been in communication with a man named Abu Yaqeen in an area with a significant IS presence.

In March, Ludlow sent him money via PayPal and created the Facebook account Antique Collections, which he was alleged to have used as a front to send money to south-east Asia for terrorism.

On 16 March, Ludlow went online to establish whether there was a police station on Oxford Street, before setting out to take pictures of the shopping area.

He took a picture near to the Oxford Circus Tube station and then a second one outside the Disney store.

Later he photographed Madame Tussauds and a bus shelter map of the area around the tourist attraction.

The images were stored in an encrypted application on his phone shared among IS supporters.

Image copyright CPS Image caption Ludlow made detailed notes of possible targets in London

When police searched Ludlow's home, they also found torn-up notes detailing when the targets would be the busiest.

The first note read: "Madame Tussads [sic]. Oxford street busiest time between 11 - 12 particularly Fridays. St Paul's Cathedral. Shia temple... Further locations scouted for the Kil [sic]."

A second read: "Crowded London Areas, Oxford Street - long road with no bollards or barriers preventing a van mounting the pavement. Busiest time is between 11am - 12pm with Saturday being the busiest day.

"It is a busy street it is ideal for an attack. It is expected nearly 100 could be killed in the attack."

Two further notes referred to accommodation and van rental.

In a communication found on one of his phones Ludlow, who did not hold a driving licence, said: "Driving isn't easy Only reason why I never learnt is because its expensive plus a bit scared of crashing."

Image copyright AFP Image caption Ludlow took photos of Oxford Street

Image copyright CPS Image caption He also travelled to Madame Tussauds on Baker Street

The CPS spokesman said: "A mobile phone belonging to Ludlow was found in the storm drain of his home and contained photographs he had taken in March on a trip to London.

The phone also contained videos in which Ludlow stated his hatred of unbelievers and his desire to establish Sharia law.

Ludlow, who appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink from HMP Belmarsh, also pleaded guilty to setting up Facebook and Paypal accounts which the CPS said he used to fund fighters based in the Philippines.

He had been previously questioned by police about his links to Anjem Choudary and the banned Al-Muhajiron group.

Ludlow also admitted raising funds for terrorist purposes but denied preparing a plan to travel to the Philippines to join jihadists there. That charge will remain on file.</s>LONDON — A Muslim convert pleaded guilty Friday to plotting an Islamic State group-inspired van attack on crowds in London's busy Oxford Street shopping district.

During a hearing at London's Central Criminal Court, Lewis Ludlow admitted preparing acts of terrorism and fundraising for the militant group.

Prosecutors say the 26-year-old wrote down his attack plans, saying Oxford Street was an "ideal" target because it was busy and "it is expected nearly 100 could be killed."

Police found the notes ripped up in a garbage bin and pieced them together. Ludlow's list of "potential attack sites" also included the Madame Tussauds wax museum, St Paul's Cathedral and a Shia temple in Romford, east London.

Evidence recovered from Lewis's phone included a video of him swearing allegiance to IS and pictures of crowded areas, which prosecutors said were taken during "hostile reconnaissance."

Ludlow, from Rochester in southern England, was stopped at Heathrow Airport in February as he tried to board a flight to the Philippines, where prosecutors say he planned to join IS militants. They say he later plotted to attack London, and allegedly set up a Facebook account called Antique Collections as a front to send money to militants in the Philippines.

Lewis, who was arrested on April 18, admitted preparing terrorist acts and funding terrorism.</s>LONDON (AP) - A Muslim convert has pleaded guilty to plotting a van attack on crowds in London’s busy Oxford Street shopping district.

During a court appearance Friday, Lewis Ludlow admitted preparing acts of terrorism and fundraising for the Islamic State group.

Prosecutors say the 26-year-old wrote down his attack plans, saying Oxford Street was an “ideal” target and “it is expected nearly 100 could be killed.” Police found the notes ripped up in a garbage bin.

Ludlow, from Rochester in southern England, was stopped at Heathrow Airport in February as he tried to board a flight to the Philippines, where prosecutors say he planned to join IS militants. They say he later plotted to attack London, but was arrested April 18.

Judge Nicholas Hilliard says Ludlow will be sentenced on Nov. 2.</s>LONDON (AP) - A Muslim convert has pleaded guilty to plotting a van attack on crowds in London's busy Oxford Street shopping district.

During a court appearance Friday, Lewis Ludlow admitted preparing acts of terrorism and fundraising for the Islamic State group.

Prosecutors say the 26-year-old wrote down his attack plans, saying Oxford Street was an "ideal" target and "it is expected nearly 100 could be killed." Police found the notes ripped up in a garbage bin.

Pedestrians walk past the House of Fraser department store on Oxford Street in London, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. British retailer Sports Direct said Friday that it has bought struggling department store chain House of Fraser, just hours after the 169-year-old business went into administration. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Ludlow, from Rochester in southern England, was stopped at Heathrow Airport in February as he tried to board a flight to the Philippines, where prosecutors say he planned to join IS militants. They say he later plotted to attack London, but was arrested April 18.

Judge Nicholas Hilliard says Ludlow will be sentenced on Nov. 2.

Pedestrians walk past the House of Fraser department store on Oxford Street in London, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. British retailer Sports Direct said Friday that it has bought struggling department store chain House of Fraser, just hours after the 169-year-old business went into administration. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)</s>Lewis Ludlow, a converted Muslim, pleaded guilty to funding the Daesh abroad as well, according to the Sky News broadcaster.

In May, the young man told Westminster Magistrates' Court he was innocent of researching and planning attacks in London.

READ MORE: Al-Qaeda Bombmaker Arrested in London Guilty of Planning Knife Attack on MPs

The UK has been hit by numerous terror attacks over the past few years, with several young Muslims being radicalized online by Daesh-linked extremists.

Last year, three assailants killed eight civilians in central London, in addition to injuring almost 50 bystanders in their Daesh-inspired attack. Another attack, this time a suicide bombing at a concert in the city of Manchester, left dozens dead and injured.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia</s>A Muslim convert has pleaded guilty to plotting to kill around 100 people in a terror attack outside the Disney Store on London's Oxford Street.

Today a court heard how Lewis Ludlow swore allegiance to Islamic State as he prepared to drive a van through London's shopping district or Madame Tussauds.

The 26-year-old bought a phone between March 15 and April 19, under a false name and wrote down his attack plans - which were later found ripped up in a bin.

He also researched potential targets around the capital, van rental and hotel accommodation.

He identified Oxford Street as an "ideal" target, writing: "It is expected nearly 100 could be killed in the attack".

Ludlow, from Rochester, in Kent, formulated his plan after being stopped by police at Heathrow airport in February as he attempted to board a flight to the Philippines.

It was alleged he also set up a Facebook account called Antique Collections as a front to send money to south east Asia for terrorism.

The defendant was due to face trial in the autumn on two charges of preparing acts of terrorism and one of terror funding.

But at a hearing before Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC at the Old Bailey, he pleaded guilty to plotting an attack in the UK and funding IS abroad.

Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said it would not be in the public interest to pursue a trial on a charge of attempting to join IS in the Philippines which the defendant denied.

That charge will lie on the court file.</s>A MAN HAS pleaded guilty to plotting a terror attack in central London aiming to kill more than 100 people.

Lewis Ludlow (26) planned to hire a van and drive it into pedestrians on the pavement on Oxford Street at the busiest time of the week.

Screenshot of Lewis Ludlow from one of the videos he filmed. Source: CPS

He had also considered attacking Madame Tussaud’s and St Paul’s Cathedral. When he was arrested in April, Ludlow was under 24-hour armed police surveillance.

A mobile phone belonging to Ludlow, who had converted to Islam, was found in the storm drain of his home and contained photographs he had taken in March on a trip to London.

Oxford Street - one of the busiest streets in London. Source: Shutterstock/Daniel Vine Photography

The prosecution said those photographs constituted hostile reconnaissance in the capital. The phone also contained a picture of a handwritten oath of allegiance to the terrorist group Daesh (Islamic State).

The same phone also contained three short videos in which Ludlow calls himself “the Eagle” and states his hatred of unbelievers, the desire to establish Sharia law, and describes himself as a soldier of Daesh.

A number of torn-up notes were recovered which suggested that Ludlow was actively involved in preparing a terrorist attack, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

One of the notes included information about the cost of hotels near Oxford Street where he planned to stay before the attack as well as the renting of a van.

Ludlow, from Rochester, also pleaded guilty to setting up Facebook and Paypal accounts which he used to fund Daesh fighters based in the Philippines.

The Facebook account was called ‘Antique Collections’ and appeared to be a legitimate business selling antiques. Members of the public could make payments to the site via Paypal. Ludlow transferred around £120 (about €135) to a radicalised medic living in the Philippines.

Deb Walsh from the CPS said Ludlow “considers himself a soldier fighting for Daesh in the UK”.

“He is a serious danger to the public and accepted his guilt when faced with the prosecution’s case against him.”

Ludlow will be sentenced on 2 November at the Old Bailey. Both police and MI5 had been investigating the case.</s>A Muslim convert has pleaded guilty to plotting to kill around 100 people outside a Disney store on London's Oxford Street.

Lewis Ludlow, 26, swore allegiance to Islamic State (IS) as he prepared to drive a van through London's main shopping area or near Madame Tussauds.

Using a false name, between 15 March and 19 April he bought a mobile phone and wrote down his plans to carry out an attack - the plans were later found torn in pieces in a bin.

He picked out Oxford Street as an "ideal target" and wrote: "It is expected nearly 100 could be killed in the attack."

Ludlow, of Rochester, in Kent, planned an attack after being stopped by police at Heathrow airport in February as he tried to board a flight to the Philippines.

He was due to go on trial in the autumn on two charges of preparing acts of terrorism and one of terror funding but at a hearing before Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC at the Old Bailey on Friday, he pleaded guilty to plotting an attack in the UK and funding IS abroad.

Ludlow is alleged to have set up a Facebook account called Antique Collections as a front to send money to Asia to fund terrorism.

Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, said it was not be in the public interest to pursue a trial on a charge of attempting to join IS in the Philippines which Ludlow denied and that charge will lie on the court file.

The prosecution summary said Ludlow first came to the attention of police in 2010 when he attended a demonstration led by radical preach Anjem Choudary and his banned Al-Muhajiroun (ALM) group.

He was arrested in 2015 and IS material was recovered from his electronic devices but police took no further action.

In January he bought a ticket to fly to the Philippines on February 3 this year and was stopped at the airport and his passport was seized.

He told police he was going to the country as a sex tourist.

But officers searching his home found he was in communication with a man named Abu Yaqeen in an area with major IS presence.

Ludlow sent Yaqeen money in March through PayPal and created the Facebook account Antique Collections.

It claimed to be an antiques business based in Maidstone but, it was alleged it was really a front to raise money for IS in the Philippines.

Police recovered torn up scraps of papers from Ludlow's bin outlining his plans.

When pieced together they revealed "potential attack sites" including "Madame tussauds", "Oxford Street - busiest time...", "St Paul's cathedral" and a '"Shia temple in Romford".

It added: "Further locations scouted for the kil. (sic)"

There were also details of a potential attack on Oxford Street using a van to mount the pavement and noted there were no safety barriers.

It said: "Wolf should either use a ram attack or use...on the truck to maximise death...it is a busy street it is ideal for an attack.

"It is expected nearly 100 could be killed in the attack".

There were also details of a potential attack on Oxford Street using a van to mount the pavement and noted there were no safety barriers.

It said: "Wolf should either use a ram attack or use...on the truck to maximise death...it is a busy street it is ideal for an attack.

"It is expected nearly 100 could be killed in the attack".

Police retrieved Ludow's mobile phone from a storm drain on 13 April that contained videos of the defendant swearing allegiance to IS and pictures of crowded areas, said to be evidence of "hostile reconnaissance".

In the meantime undercover police engaged Yaqeen in online chat, in which he called for "lone wolf" attacks and funds to be sent to the Philippines.

Yaqeen put the undercover officer in contact with Ludlow and implied they could work together to launch a terror attack in the UK.

Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) officers arrested Ludlow on 18 April but he refused to explain himself when interviewed by detectives.

Ludlow appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from Belmarsh prison wearing a green prayer cap and black t-shirt.

Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC adjourned his sentencing until 2 November following his guilty plea.

Detective Chief Superintendent Kath Barnes, head of the CTPSE, said: "Ludlow was planning an attack in the UK after he had sworn an oath of allegiance to Deash. Ludlow had gone as far as writing out attack plans and conducting reconnaissance of potential targets.

"An investigation led by detectives in Counter Terrorism Policing South East working closely with Kent Police led to Ludlow being stopped before he was able to finalise his plans to carry out an attack.

"We are pleased with his guilty plea, which demonstrates the quality of evidence gathering by detectives working on this investigation.

"Ludlow was a dangerous individual and I have no doubt that the public will be much safer as a result of our actions."



More follows...</s>A man has pleaded guilty to plotting a terror attack in London and raising money for terrorism.

Lewis Ludlow, 26, from Rochester, Kent, appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink from HMP Belmarsh.

He pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to travel to the Philippines for terrorist purposes. The charge will remain on file.

Ludlow had sworn an oath of allegiance to the so-called Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi.

He had been involved with the banned extremist group Al Muhajiroun.

He is due to be sentenced at a later date.</s>LONDON (Reuters) - A Muslim convert has admitted plotting to kill more than 100 people by driving a truck into pedestrians in London's Oxford Street, the capital's major shopping thoroughfare.

Lewis Ludlow, 26, had planned to rent the vehicle and plough it into shoppers at the bustling retail district, which attracts large numbers of tourists, during the busiest time of the week, prosecutors said.

He had also considered attacking London's Madame Tussauds wax museum and St Paul's Cathedral.

"Lewis Ludlow considers himself a soldier fighting for Daesh (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) in the UK," Deb Walsh from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said in a statement on Friday (Aug 10).

"To that end, he planned to drive a van into shoppers at Oxford Street hoping to kill over 100 people. He is a serious danger to the public and accepted his guilt when faced with the prosecution's case against him."

The CPS said Ludlow's mobile phone was found in the storm drain of his home in Rochester, southeast of London, which had photographs showing he had carried out hostile reconnaissance in central London. There was also a picture of a handwritten oath of allegiance to Islamic State (IS).

It also had videos in which Ludlow called himself "the Eagle", and spoke of his hatred of non-believers.

He was under 24-hour armed police surveillance when he was arrested and a number of torn-up notes which were found suggested Ludlow was actively involved in preparing an attack, with information about the cost of hotels near Oxford Street and renting a truck, prosecutors said.

He pleaded guilty at London's Old Bailey court to preparing to commit acts of terrorism as well as setting up Facebook and Paypal accounts to fund ISIS fighters based in the Philippines. He will be sentenced on Nov 2.
Lewis Ludlow pleads guilty to financing and planning a terrorist van attack in London, England.