Sister of London Pride terror plotter who practised knife fights with jihadi brother given suspended prison term

Sneha Chowdhury leaves after appearing at the first day of her trial at Woolwich Crown Cour
AFP via Getty Images
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An NHS volunteer who failed to raise the alarm as her jihadi brother plotted a gun and knife rampage through central London tourist hotspots has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Sneha Chowdhury, 26, practised knife fighting with her older brother Mohiussunnath and knew he had been viewing terrorist material online, including ways to decapitate a person.

The 29-year-old former Uber driver told his sister he was planning a violent attack, but she did not report him to the authorities out of "misguided loyalty", Woolwich crown court heard.

The terrorist was plotting an attack on popular tourist attractions including Madame Tussauds, as well as targeting an open-top bus tour and the annual Pride parade.

Chowdhury had earlier been cleared of a sword attack outside Buckingham Palace in August 2017, but continued to harbour “dreams of martyrdom”.

He was caught on tape boasting how he had managed to trick the Old Bailey jury into clearing him, and launched into his new plot which was foiled three days before the summer 2019 Pride event.

Chowdhury, from Luton, was convicted at trial of plotting terrorism and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years behind bars.

The terrorist was plotting an attack on popular tourist attractions including Madame Tussauds
METROPOLITAN POLICE/AFP via Gett

Today at Woolwich crown court, his sister was in the dock to be sentenced for failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism.

“The information you had was clearly of some significance, it included the intention of your brother to carry out an attack and training he was doing”, said Judge Andrew Lees.

He said Chowdhury did not share her brother’s extremist views, telling her: “You didn’t do what you should have done out of misguided loyalty to your brother.”

The court heard Chowdhury has been volunteering for the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic, and has duties looking after her mother as well as studying education at Brunel University.

“You don’t present a risk to the public”, added the judge, handing her a two-year suspended prison sentence and 60 days of rehabilitation sessions.

Her brother had been found guilty at trial of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, collecting information likely to be useful to someone preparing an act of terrorism and disseminating terrorist publications.

He had unwittingly shared his extremist plot with undercover officers after being cleared of the Buckingham Palace plot and released from prison in December 2018.

Over the course of a five-month surveillance operation, detectives gathered crucial information about Chowdhury’s mindset and plans after winning his trust.

He had booked training sessions at a shooting range and tried to acquire a real gun, while his sister knew he was training with wooden swords - known as bokkens - practising knife fighting and rehearsing beheading attacks at the family home in Luton.

The court heard Chowdhury did not share her brother’s extremist views
PA

Chowdhury also talked with the undercover officers of “killing the disbelievers” and had plotted to attack the gay Pride march with a van.

Commander Richard Smith, from the Met’s counter terrorism command, said after Sneha Chowdhury’s conviction: “There is no acceptable reason for listening to someone say they are planning to kill innocent people, and watching them practise how they will do that, then not reporting it to police. Sneha Chowdhury wilfully kept her brother’s horrific secret and is now facing the consequences.”

The judge said she had been "subject to controlling behaviour by male members of her family", and had a "very close" relationship with her brother.

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