Shocking moment Islamist terrorist launched frenzied attack on police officer quizzing him over Queen's funeral machine gun plot and plan to kill Christian preacher is revealed as he is jailed for life

This is the shocking moment an Islamist terrorist launched a frenzied attack on a police officer quizzing him over a plan to attack the Queen's funeral and kill a Christian preacher as he was today jailed for life with a minimum of 16 years. 

Edward Little, 22, was stopped by police on his way to buy a handgun from an underworld contact which he planned to use to murder the preacher and several police officers at Speaker's Corner. 

The terrorist was being quizzed by police when he was shown a YouTube video of his intended target, Hatun Tash, an Internet personality who has been critical of Islam. 

Footage shows Little leaning forward and staring straight at the officer before launching himself from his chair and over the table, his fists clenched and swinging both arms towards the officer's face.

It took three of four punches before another officer in the room and Little's solicitor were able to restrain him.

He had already been sentenced to eight months in jail for the assault before today's sentencing.

His barrister Tom Godfrey said: 'I was able to see Mr Little at the last aborted hearing...I do not see Mr Little's non-attendance should stand in the way of proceedings today.' Mrs Justice McGowan replied: 'Absolutely not. He's chosen not to attend.'

Little considered attacking Queen Elizabeth's funeral but dismissed the idea as 'too late' and instead planned to murder a Christian preacher at Speakers' Corner along with any police officers who were in the area.

He used Youtube to research his target and learn how to handle a firearm, watching videos titled, 'How not to point a gun', 'Muslim attacks Christian', 'Hyde Park knife fight', 'Glock 18 vs Mini Uzi' and 'Hyde Park Speakers Corner.'

Between July 27 and August 7 last year, Little downloaded copies of the online al-Qaeda magazine Inspire, which he used to assist with his attack planning.

On August 27, between 3.46pm and 4.26pm, Little made and received audio calls, via Instagram, from underworld arms dealer Caleb Wenyeve, referred to as 'X.'

Little, a former teenage drug dealer, then sent X two messages: 'Call me back' and 'Opportunity for you to make extra bread.'

In online conversations, Little considered attacking 'disgusting gay events' and 'celebrities' but settled on 'insulters' and the 'soldiers' that protect them.

He talked about bookshops selling works by Salman Rushdie and the Queen's funeral, which was due to take place the next day, but commented: 'Unfortunately it's too late.'

Little identified a preacher called Hatun Tash, calling her a 'witch' and commenting: 'All I have to do is inshallah [god willing] come close and at point blank shoot her and everyone with her.'

He was keen to get hold of a Mac 10 submachine gun and said he had a 'brother' who was to be released from prison and would '100 percent' join in the 'operation'.

Little was arrested on September 23 on the A2 Blackheath Hill, while travelling by taxi to South London from his home in Brighton.

The vehicle was searched and police found around £5,000 in cash, split into bundles of £1,000, each wrapped in clingfilm, inside a plastic carrier bag, inside a black rucksack.

On 20 October, police searched an address in Brockley, South London, controlled by the organised crime group from which Little had arranged to purchase a firearm.

Officers found a JD Sports Bag which contained a black pistol, a magazine and six blank rounds, and a blue glove containing possible live and blank rounds. 

The firearm was found to be a Retay Model 92 9mm blank cartridge firing, self-loading pistol - a copy of a Beretta pistol.

The original barrel had been replaced, allowing a 9mm blank cartridge to fire a 6.3mm steel ball bearing.

Tyler King, 21, from Denmark Hill, South London pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transfer a prohibited firearm, possession of a prohibited firearm and three counts of possession of ammunition without lawful authority and was sentenced to 10 years and nine months in jail.

Caleb Wenyeve, 21, from Strelley, Nottingham was sentenced to 12 years in jail after pleading guilty to conspiracy to transfer a prohibited firearm along with Reis Forde, 27, who was in HMP Rochester and was sentenced to 13 years and six months' imprisonment.

It was accepted that the men did not know that the firearm was intended for use in a terrorist attack.

Little initially claimed he had no intention of carrying out any acts of violence, and his online comments were just a 'fantasy' but later pleaded guilty to planning acts of terrorism.

Hatun Tash is a former Muslim and convert to Christianity who regularly debates Islam and the Koran at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park.

She is said to have faced threats to her life on multiple occasions and was attacked and stabbed on July 25 2021 while preaching at Speakers' Corner, suffering wounds to her face and hand.

Duncan Penny KC, prosecuting, said it was clear that Little 'anticipated and planned that members of the Metropolitan Police Force would be victims of his conduct, and contemplated attacks upon the military as well.'

Little has 14 previous convictions from seven occasions, including robbery, drug dealing and possession of a knife, dating back to the age of 15.

Judge Richard Marks KC, told a previous hearing that he had an 'absolutely shocking previous record' for someone so young.

While on remand at HMP Belmarsh on April 3 this year Little attacked Liam Cornett, 33, from Huyton, Liverpool, who was serving a 26-year-term for conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

Little used a kettle contained boiling water mixed with sugar to attack his victim and was seen by prison officers standing over Cornett, slashing at him with razor blades as Cornett kicked out at him.

After Little was restrained and taken out of the cell, Cornett asked why he had attacked him, and Little responded: 'You have disrespected the deen' [religion].

Little was born in Britain and moved to Spain during his early childhood before returning as a teenager.

Little's first conviction, for possessing a knife and wounding with intent, dated back to February 2017, when he was 15.

Two months later, in March 2017, he received a three-and-a-half year sentence for supplying controlled drugs.

In 2018, he was convicted of criminal damage and assaulting a police officer and in 2019, he was given a detention and training order for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Later that year, while in prison, he was convicted of possession of a bladed weapon.

In the period leading up to his arrest Little lived in sheltered accommodation for young people in Brighton.

Little told an online contact called 'B' on August 29 that he had been 'guided by Allah from blindness to Islam whilst in prison' and had contacts from prison from whom he could get weapons.

He told another contact called Khalid that he had become a revert to Islam during his time at YOI Cookham Wood, and then, when he had turned 18, at HMP Deerbolt.

Little told B that he had sourced the firearm from a 'kafir I have known for many years', that he knew where some of the man's family lived 'so I do not think he would try anything.'

The firearm with 20 bullets cost £5,000 and he would give the seller another £500 to keep it for him, because there were others who wanted to buy it.

The pair discussed the possibility of Little getting target practice, which he rejected as presenting too much risk.

The two discussed who would be the target and Little stated: 'It is a priority to kill those who insulted the beloved, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him but it is very rare to get them in big number gathered together.'

Little added: 'There are many disgusting gay events but I would prefer to target the insulters or soldiers.'

With a user called Abdul Rahman on the Threema app, Little discussed targeting celebrities, 'insulters' and the 'soldiers' that protect them.

Little asked about finding a bookshop that sold Salman Rushdie's book and stated that anywhere that sold the book could be a target.

Rushdie had been stabbed and gravely wounded at a literary event in New York on August 12.

Little sent Rahman a link to a video of Hatun Tash at Speaker's Corner and stated: 'I don't like the fact so much crowd but all I have to do is InshAllah come close and at point blank shoot her and everyone with her.'

Little told Rahman that he would not 'risk doing reconnaissance, it is very famous and well known area in Central London'

Using Google Earth, Little identified to Rahman the location where Hatun Tash and her supporters gather.

He said that he wanted to buy a Mac 10 automatic weapon 'so I can spray it at them and then use a pistol for police.'

On August 30, Little began communicating with a contact, arranged by B, called 'Khalid.'

He told Khalid: 'Well there is a park called Hyde Park in London were [sic] there is many despicable kaffara [female infidels] who are insulting the beloved musapha s.a.w. and they are quite famous so for now in early stages in short the plan it to go there when they gather and execute them fisbillilah InshaAllah' [for the sake of god, god willing].

Little told Khalid that the park was famous for 'freedom of speech,' and so an attack there would send a strong message.

On September 1 and 3, Little downloaded documents from a website called adviceforparadise.com, including 'Journey to Hereafter'.

On September 7, he discussed a second man he believed would commit an attack with him, and talked about wearing a Go-Pro camera to live stream the attack.

Little told Rahman on September 12 that he had the money he needed and sent Rahman a link for a video which showed that he had £6,000.

In conversation with Rahman on September 16, Little suggested that there was another person, who was still in prison, who would act with him in an attack.

This man was dedicated, and if they both struck Hyde Park then one would kill police and the other the 'insulter.'

Another, 'good option' was to 'strike in two different parts of London'

The next day, Little told Khalid that '100 percent' the 'brother in prison' would be joining in the 'operation'.

Later that day Little stated that he was arranging the firearms to buy, and that he planned on securing two 'Taser proof' jackets, guns and two hunting knives.

On September 18, Little viewed a Google page for 'Things to Do in Westminster – London.'

In conversation with Rahman the same day, the two discussed an attack on the Queen's funeral, and Rahman said that all 'tyrants of the earth' would be present.

Little told him: 'I was just thinking that but unfortunately it's too late.' The funeral was to take place the next day.

Little told an online contact called Ghafour, introduced by Khalid, that he had been 'financially blessed' and said that he would be able to get a pistol, but that more was needed.

He wanted to secure the firearms as soon as possible in order that he could train on, and be familiar with them, even if that meant shooting without rounds.

He hoped to have weapons by the time his associate was released from prison, in order that they could train together.

Little stated he could get a firearm from a contact from prison, but he would need at least two firearms as a minimum – for himself and his associate.

Between 3.21pm and 3.42pm on September 23, Little held calls with X and then told Rahman and Ghafour that he had been offered a firearm, for £5,000.

He was going to travel to secure the firearm, which was a 'Pistol beretta' and was meeting 'a person who is completely legit.'

The man he was buying from was not in jail: 'It's his older brother who is and he is in jail for some time now.'