Image copyright Julia Quenzler Image caption Safaa Boular was "sincere and determined" in her intentions, prosecutors said

A teenage girl plotted a gun and grenade attack at the British Museum after her attempts to become a jihadi bride were thwarted, a court has heard. Safaa Boular was 17 years old when she allegedly planned a grenade and gun attack on the British Museum - and prosecutors say she became more determined after Naweed Hussain was killed in Syria before she had the chance to join him. Court artist sketch of Safaa Boular (left) appearing at the Old Bailey in London where she denies two charges of preparing acts of terrorism (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Opening the Old Bailey trial, prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC told jurors Safaa Boular planned to “unleash violence and terror in the heart of London”. Rizlaine Boular, 21, had already admitted planning an attack in Westminster, that was allegedly to involve knives, with the alleged help of their mother, Mina Dich, 43, the jury was told. Image copyright Met Police Image caption Mina Dich (left) provided assistance and support to her daughter Rizlaine Boular, court heard

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC said Safaa Boular, who lived with her mother in Vauxhall, London, wanted to "unleash violence and terror in the heart of London". Mr Atkinson said: “Their plan then was that together they would, as Hussain put it, depart the world holding hands and taking others with them in an act of terrorism.”

But Boular’s aim to travel to Syria accompanied by her sister was scuppered when she was stopped by police at Stansted en route home from a holiday in Morocco in August 2016. He said: “Their plan then was that together they would, as Hussain put it, depart the world holding hands and taking others with them in an act of terrorism.”

The court heard Rizlaine Boular had also tried to go to Syria two years before. 'Cultural jewel'

After Safaa Boular's plan was uncovered, she allegedly switched her attention to Britain, contacting Hussain by phone through encrypted Telegram chat. Atkinson said: “Based on her preparation and discussion, it appears she planned to launch an attack against members of the public selected largely at random in the environs of that cultural jewel and most popular of tourist attractions, the British Museum in central London.”

An attack would have caused at least widespread panic and was intended to cause injury and death, the court was told. 'This would have been an attack that would, at the very least have caused widespread panic, but was intended to involve the infliction of serious injury and death.' 'The significance of these conversations is to demonstrate the extent of Safaa Boular's determination, when talking to her mother and her sister. A rucksack was also bought and prosecutors said that was part of preparations for an attack the following day, which they had code-named the 'Madhatter's Tea Party', prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC told the court.
Safaa Boular, a teenager, goes on trial at the Old Bailey accused of two counts of planning terrorism after allegedly planning to attack the British Museum in London after failing to travel to Syria to marry an Islamic extremist fighter.