- Lewis Ludlow, from Kent, claims he was persuaded to plan the attack in London
- His IS-supporting friend in Philippines Abu Yaqeen said 'make them pay in blood'
- Ludlow went on reconnaissance trips to Oxford St and took photos on his phone
A British-born Muslim convert has told how he was ordered by an Islamic State jihadi to launch a ram or bomb attack on Oxford Street to 'make them pay in blood'.
Lewis Ludlow, 27, a former Royal Mail worker from the upmarket Kent town of Rochester, became radicalised after converting to Islam and attending the poppy-burning rallies of hate preacher Anjem Choudary.
The defendant, who called himself the Ghost and Eagle, said he was coaxed into scoping out the busy shopping district to launch an attack on innocent people.
British Muslim convert Lewis Ludlow, who plotted a terror attack in London after being stopped from travelling to the Philippines
He plotted the Oxford Street attack after being stopped from travelling to the Philippines, the Old Bailey heard.
The former Royal Mail worker has pleaded guilty to preparing acts of terrorism in the UK and funding terrorism abroad.
Giving evidence, he told how he had rejected an MI5 advance in March 2017 but agreed to engage with the Prevent programme.
Police recovered torn-up scraps of a letter Ludlow had written, setting out his plans
When he was stopped at the airport, he felt 'bitter' and 'heartbroken', he said, adding: 'I felt that I was trapped like an animal unable to escape its cage.'
On learning he would not be travelling, his IS-supporting friend in the Philippines Abu Yaqeen first asked him to send money to help pay for bullets and medical supplies, Ludlow said.
Surveillance footage showed Ludlow with the letter in a notebook at an internet cafe
Chilling photos found on his phone were taken during reconnaissance trips to Oxford Street
The defendant, who has autism, went on to describe how Yaqeen gradually talked him into plotting an attack in Britain.
He claimed he went to London to print off a picture of the black IS flag and research a 'busy shopping centre' on the orders of Yaqeen.
'On this plot, it was a bit like wheeling in very slowly. I thought to myself, I don't think he will try to make me do something stupid like try to harm someone,' Ludlow said.
He took the images as he scoped out the shopping district to plan where was best to ram or bomb
He also had photos of queues outside Madame Tussaud's while considering possible targets
Later, Yaqeen told him he had to 'kill' people during a chat on an encrypted app, he said.
Ludlow said: 'He said to me, "The reason I asked you to research busy shopping centres is because you need to do something against these kuffar in the land of the crusader".
'I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "You have to kill them" and then he tried to encourage me to prepare to get involved in an act.
'I said no at first, I did not want to because I felt this was a bit scary and then he said, "You have to do it. You have to kill them, make them pay in blood, you must get revenge. They are not innocent. They deserve to die".
'He said the best way to do so was using a ram attack. He said in order to achieve such a spectacular attack we should use a truck bomb attack to achieve the necessary effect.
'He said to me, "Don't you want to die a martyr? They deserve it".'
Ludlow said Yaqeen mentioned targets including Oxford Street, St Paul's Cathedral and Shia temples.
The defendant said he was told to go to London to 'scout', take pictures, make notes and prepare an oath.
He told the court he photographed various potential targets including Madame Tussauds and around Oxford Street.
Ludlow said he wrote notes about killing up to 100 people in a ram attack or using an improvised explosive device to 'maximise' casualties.
Asked if he had anywhere in mind, Ludlow said: 'He just said Oxford Street. There was no particular building mentioned.'
Rebecca Trowler QC, defending, asked: 'Do you accept at that time you intended that the kind of attack described in these notes would at some point in the future be carried out?'
Ludlow said: 'At that particular time yes but there was no date set.'
He claimed Yaqeen was persistent and put pressure on him, so he 'went along with it and followed his instructions'.
In the end, Ludlow said he decided to stop and ripped up his notes because he felt 'guilty at what I had done'.
The defendant told the court he suffered from anxiety attacks like 'whispers from the devil'.
Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC will conclude the sentencing at a later date.
Ludlow had been sending encrypted messages to an ISIS contact in the Philippines called Abu Yaqeen. He was also in contact with Junaid Hussain, a British ISIS fighter in Syria. Ludlow had first come to the attention of police in 2010 while attending rallies of the banned group known as al-Muhajiroun, led by the radical preacher Anjem Choudary
Police sealed off his house in Rochester, Kent in May after he tried to travel to south-east Asia
Former postal worker's murderous plans revealed in video and notes
In a video found on his phone, Ludlow pledged allegiance to ISIS
In a video message Ludlow said his allegiance was to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS and added: 'I am the Eagle and I pledge allegiance to Dawlatul Islam [ISIS].
'I have grew up amongst you filthy [word unclear] I learnt your culture, your ways of life and your disgusting debauchery. I reject all of this.
'I am amongst you as someone who has given dawah [proselytising] for many years and as one who has studied the deen [religion] of Islam.
'There is nothing between us except animosity and hatred. We love death as much as you love life so therefore, my allegiance is to Islamic State.
'I have nothing for this country of Britain. I spit on your citizenship, your passport, you can go to hell with that.
'So be ready, for we too are waiting. Signed off, The Eagle'.
Ludlow, who used the alias Ali Hussain, also wrote out a pledge of allegiance, in which he said that he lived 'to serve as one of the soldiers of the khilafah [Islamic state].'
He added: 'Oh kuffar [infidels] of Britain we are ghosts in your midst. Wallahi [I swear] we will take revenge for we love death as you love life. So wait, we too are waiting. Dawlatul Islam Baquiyyah Watamaatad [the Islamic State will last for ever] - The Ghost.'
He was spotted printing off an ISIS flag in a London internet cafe, the court heard
Ludlow was under surveillance when he was observed at an internet cafe on Portland Street in London's West End on March 16 this year where he researched 'busy shopping centres.'
The computer at the internet cafe revealed that he had also searched for information about a police station on Oxford Street.
On March 21 surveillance teams recovered a number of torn up notes from the bins at Ludlow's address which suggested that he was actively involved in preparing for a terrorist attack in London using a van.
The notes read: 'Potential attack sites: Madame Tussads (sic), Oxford street - busiest time between 11 - 12, particularly Fridays - St Paul's Cathedral.'
He had also listed the addresses for a temples of the rival shia Muslim sect in Forest Gate and Streatham, adding: 'Further locations scouted for the kil.'
A second note went into detail about his 'lone wolf' attack: '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.
'Wolf should either use a ram attack or use 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.'
Ludlow (right) was pictured at an Islamist rally with extremist Trevor Brooks (left)
It appears Ludlow was planning to meet up with someone else because he did not have a driving license and had told his ISIS contact, Abu Yaqeen: 'Driving isnt easy. Only reason why I never learnt is because its expensive plus a bit scared of crashing.'
A third note read: 'Hotels and van prices: Prices vary for hotels near Oxford Street, it is best to look at trip advisor or expedia.co.uk - Frith Street, Soho London W1D 3JE isnear the attack site.
'The wolf can stay for one or two nights before the attack cost is £103 - £105. I will look at further hotels if there is another option.'
The note added: 'Will be sent wolf. Estimation of prices to dawlah [ISIS] so the attack can be co-ordinated. Expected and realistic goals should be to hit double figures.'
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