Extremist family who plotted bloodthirsty terror attack in West Midlands convicted
An extremist Muslim family were today convicted of planning a bloodthirsty terrorist attack on the streets of the West Midlands by using a deadly hunting knife.
Ummariyat Mirza, 21, researched terror acts and bought a steel hunting blade and a rubber training knife, which he used to practise on a training dummy at his home in St Agatha's Road, Alum Rock, Birmingham.
The former accountant also carried out extensive research into potential targets in the region, including military bases, which neither the police or intelligence services will disclose for security reasons.
His sister, Zainub Mirza, 23, from Eastfield Road, Birmingham, admitted sending her brother a stream of extremist material, including footage of a man holding two severed heads.
Following a tip-off by MI5, Ummariyat Mirza and his sister were arrested by masked armed officers from the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit on March 29 when their Ford Fiesta car was stopped in Alum Rock Road, Birmingham during evening rush hour.
The dramatic scenes were caught on social media.
It is believed they were in the 'final stages' of their plot, and possibly even on the way to execute their evil plan.
Ummariyat Mirza's wife Taheer, also 21, was arrested on April 24 following further inquiries.
She was today found guilty of supporting her husband in his planning, including handing over her bank details so he could buy a knife from a website.
She fantasised about committing a terror atrocity on her wedding day and beheading newspaper columnist and TV personality Katie Hopkins.
She was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court in London of preparing an act of terrorism. Her husband pleaded guilty to the charge at earlier hearing.
Mirza previously admitted sending her brother terrorist material, including footage of a man holding two severed heads.
Officers searched a number of addresses and seized phones and electronic devices containing a vast amount of social media chats between the three which included supportive mind-set material for Islamic State. They also shared and praised numerous extremist propaganda videos, some of which contained graphic images of prisoners being tortured and executed.
During searches, police also recovered a steel hunting knife with a paracord rope attached to it so it could be concealed under clothing and a body armour jacket.
Detective Chief Superintendent Matt Ward, head of West Midlands Counter Terrorist Unit, said: “Ummariyat Mirza’s plan was escalating quickly so the decision to carry out arrests in a busy Birmingham street at rush hour was not taken lightly.
"Earlier this year we received information that they were planning to carry out a terrorist act in the UK.
"We were able to establish that they were in advanced stages of preparation.
"We think that they had radical extreme views for some time – back to 2015.
"This year they have accelerated that extremism.
"They had purchased a training knife to carry out a practice of the attack.
"They then bought a large hunting knife that you conceal in clothing in order to carry out an attack.
"We had two guilty pleas and a guilty verdict because they were sharing extremely vile and disturbing extremist material.
"We are confident that, had we not intervened when we did, they would have carried out an attack.
He added: "The attack probably would have taken place in Birmingham or the West Midlands – but it could have been anywhere in the UK."
In 2015, before they were married, Taheer sent Mirza a message which read: "Can we get married already ffs. I want u to kill ppl for me. I have a list."
Mirza replied: "The day of nikkah (marriage) I'll kill em all. Give me the list. The only thing that stops me is we are not married. I will defo I'm not joking."
The prosecution said these exchanges showed they were inspired by the so-called Islamic State terror group.
All three will be sentenced at a later date.
