White Muslim convert who plotted to disarm an army officer and gun down Prince Harry has been jailed for three years for his 'vague and unlikely' plans

A Belfast-born convert to Islam who planned to shoot Prince Harry dead has been jailed after admitting making a threat to kill.

Ashraf Islam, 31, who was formerly known as Mark Townley, had wanted to kill the fourth in line to the throne, whom he believed 'had blood on his hands' after taking part in two tours of Afghanistan, by disarming a bodyguard and using his gun to shoot Harry.

Today he was jailed for three years after the judge at Isleworth Crown Court in west London described Islam’s plot as 'vague and unlikely to succeed', but said he presented a risk to the public.

+3

+3

Ashraf Islam, 31, who was Mark Townley, left, before he converted to Islam, was jailed today for three years after telling police he was plotting to kill Prince Harry, whom he thought had 'blood on his hands' as a soldier

Islam, of no fixed address but who had been living in west London, had handed himself in to police in May last year the day after drummer Lee Rigby was killed in Woolwich.

His barrister, Roxanne Morrell, told the judge that Islam had given himself up and volunteered information about his plot.

Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson, the recorder for Kensington and Chelsea, said he would not go over details of Islam’s plot, but he told Islam during the brief hearing: 'This was not a threat made in isolation.

 

'The examination of your computer revealed you conducted research on his [Prince Harry’s] whereabouts and intentions.

'You had given the matter considerable thought.'

He added: 'The reason behind that is that you thought he and other serving officers had some moral guilt, and you thought you had a moral right to judge.

'I accept that there is nothing here that could be described as professional plans as to your expressed intentions.

'Your plan was vague and unlikely to succeed.'

+3

Islam intended to shoot Prince Harry with a gun he hoped to take from a royal bodyguard, a court was told

But the judge said police would have intervened had Islam, who has previous convictions for dishonesty and for involvement in an attempted robbery, attempted to carry out his plan.

The judge said he considered a longer sentence, but said it would have been deemed 'excessive'.

'I would have wished to consider an extended sentence,' he said. 'But the authorities are clear, even if a court finds that the person does represent a danger to the public, that doesn’t justify a longer sentence.'

Ms Morrell said her client had a personality disorder.

'Aim for target.  No civilians to be injured....Not to be viewed as Islamist extremist'

Notes found on Islam's computer after he confessed murder plot

At a hearing last September, Isleworth Crown Court was told that Islam had 'advanced' plans to shoot Prince Harry at close range with a low-calibre pistol.

The court was told that Islam, who separated from his wife and young child in Northern Ireland after making ‘several reckless financial decisions’, converted to the religion in Belfast and changed his name by deed poll in 2010.

He spent 10 days in Thailand researching the prince and his whereabouts, before flying back into Heathrow and then walking into Hounslow police station on 23 May and saying he wanted to talk about a murder, the court heard.

The would-be killer gave himself up after he began to feel nervous about his plans, which he intended to carry out the next day, the court was told.  It was alleged he aimed to disarm an officer during a parade because he did not want to bring a firearm into London.

Police then found a document on Islam’s computer that read: ‘Aim for target. No civilians to be injured. Dress code is the biker look. Use low-calibre pistol at close range. Not to be viewed as Islamist extremist.’

Islam was said to have converted to the religion while serving time in prison for fraud.