© SWNSIS jihadi recruited an undercover Sun reporter to carry out a lone wolf terrorist atrocity
Abu Muslim Khurasani ordered our man to get the materials for a car bomb, saying: "Park somewhere busy with many people."
He spent two months coaching our man on the orders of ISIS's top recruiter — using the encrypted Telegram messaging app to communicate. He sent a bomb-making guide and ordered our reporter to get the readily-available materials to make an explosive device and hide it in a car.
A hit-list of targets included Big Ben and London Bridge — before Khurasani settled on a major shopping centre for a Nice-style atrocity. He said: "Learn from Nice. Get a car you can park somewhere busy with many people — and a gun you can use at the same time.
"While sitting in car, use them all (referring to bullets) and quickly press the button. Both things must be in a hurry. No time gap."
Khurasani, who claimed to have active jihadi operations in the UK and the US, ordered our man to launch his lone-wolf attack last Monday. On Sunday evening, believing our man was poised for his suicidal mission, Khurasani sent a final message.
He wrote: "We will remember u. But I dont wanna distract ur intentions akhi (brother). Like all the brothers who did this. Tomorrow inshallah (God willing)."
Our evidence has been passed to anti-terror police and MI5. We are not revealing the location of the shopping centre at their request. Jihadists regularly use encrypted messaging apps such as Telegram in an attempt to screen their plotting from security services.
During the Telegram sessions with The Sun's reporter, Khurasani referred to the ISattacks in Nice, Germany and the gay club in Florida as examples of what jihadis could achieve.
He sent a jihadi's bomb-making guide that detailed how materials — including gas canisters and fireworks — can be bought for just £300 from a variety of high street stores.
Khurasani asked our reporter to construct the bomb before suggesting targets, saying: "Big Ben tower. And London Bridge. What u say about that?
"If u succeed in doing those places it will be huge. And damaging for them."
Khurasani urged our man to implore Allah for help — and again made reference to the Nice lorry attack, saying: "Anything can work — truck, axe anything, if Allah helps. "We will remember your work — intentions must only be to serve Allah. He will love u for that. Life is very short, we meet in jannah (heaven) soon."
Khurasani, whose name suggests he may be of Aghan origin, is openly promoted on a jihadi Telegram channel as a recruiter. He told our man he took over helping plan ISIS attacks in the West from American jihadi Abu Isa al-Amriki, killed in Syria in April by a US air strike.
Amriki's role in plotting attacks in Britain was exposed by a Sun investigation shortly after he and his wife were killed. Khurasani told our man ISIS was lining up would-be terrorists in the West as soon as they could be "verified." He verified The Sun's reporter with a series of simple questions on Islam.
Khurasani asked about washing rituals and prayer terms, questions which were answered correctly. After sending the bomb guide, Khurasani asked our man if he had a gun. We sent a picture of an AK-47. Khurasani then said: "Akhi. Rent some car or buy more bullets. Whatever stuff u can buy easily. Car u can park somewhere. Both is better. Just never delay it. We talk about targets after u complete the material."
After identifying the shopping centre as the target of choice and sending a picture, Khurasani messaged to say: "Shopping mall. Check it." He then said: "Ok inshallah. Keep it in mind — I am deleting chat. U have to be completely normal. And don't let family feel something special is going on."
Commander Dean Haydon, the head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said of The Sun's revelations: "It is always helpful when journalists share with police information that could indicate terrorist or criminal activity.
"While the UK threat level from international terrorism remains severe, we would like to reassure the public that we constantly review our security plans, taking into account specific intelligence and the wider threat.
Khurasani also asked us to record voice messages reciting the opening of the Koran, and a picture of our reporter. He then tried to arrange a money transfer to an address in America. He said it would be used to buy knives for attacks there. Khurasani also warned our man to say absolutely nothing of his mission to friends or family.
When our reporter asked if his mission would help his family get into heaven, Khurasani replied: "Ur family is Muslim? Give them Quran to read. And ask them to read and understand it.
"May Allah guide them to Islam if they are not Muslims already. But please, dont give them any hint about ur work.
Ex-Scotland Yard commander John O'Connor said The Sun's dossier showed the seriousness of the danger IS fanatics pose to the UK. He added: "We can't rely on good fortune, and the absence of terror attacks for so many years is no indication as to whether it will happen here. There are thousands of these people who are potentially going to commit a terrorist offence. It will happen here — it's just a matter of time. A terrorist attack is imminent. I don't know why people think it won't happen."
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