Married terror plotters 'bought knife and training dummy and rowed over who was most radical'

A heavily pregnant alleged terror plotter bought a state-of-the-art hunting knife and a "life size training dummy" for her husband to practice a terror attack on, a court has heard.

Madihah Taheer allegedly paid £275 for a plastic torso used by martial arts exerts and a £120 Cold Steel Leatherneck knife online for her husband Ummariyat Mirza with a jury hearing the pair even argued about who was more radical.

Woolwich Crown Court heard on Thursday (12 October) that Mirza sent a text to his partner that read: "I'm more radical than you" and offered to launch a knife attack as a wedding present for his wife.

Mirza has admitted preparing to commit terrorist acts while his wife Taheer, who he married in April 2016, denies the offence.

The pair, both 21 and from Birmingham, sympathised with Isis with Taheer telling Mirza that she was wanted to travel to Syria "so bad" after reading a woman's account of life with the terrorists, the court heard.

They argued about who was more radical and on 12 March 2015 Taheer allegedly wrote: "I saw a pic of our khalifa [leader] months before u did therefor I am more radical".

Mirza, dubbed 'Mr Moderate' by his wife according to prosecutors, allegedly replied: "I'm more radical than u, I took u in. I introduced u to Isis and Twitter and jihad. Ur my student."

The Daily Mail reported that the pair were arrested on 29 March this year in St Agatha's Road when police visited the address while Taheer was seven months pregnant, the jury was told.

And after Mirza had offered to kill people for his wife Taheer allegedly wrote: "Can we get married already ffs I want u to kill ppl for me, I have a list (sic)."

The newlyweds had also argued as Mirza wanted to spend £300 on a knife but Taheer said they had bills to pay and needed to buy clothes for their baby.

Prosecutor John McGuinness QC said according to the Daily Telegraph: "There is no doubt that Mirza did intend to commit terrorist acts in the UK and that he engaged in conduct in preparation for carrying out his intention.

"He conducted online research on potential targets and victims of terrorist acts and on the means of committing such acts. Second, he purchased a training knife and then a real, and lethal knife.

"'The prosecution say that Madihah Taheer intended to assist her husband to commit acts of terrorism within the UK."

She denies the charge and the trial continues.