‘Drill rapper’, 27, accused of plotting sword terror attack told undercover officer of dream to launch smoothie enterprise called ‘Healthily Wealthy’ selling drinks to London commuters
- Sahayb Abu, 27, accused of plotting a jihadi sword terror attack
- He told the Old Bailey he dreamed of a drinks firm known as Healthily wealthy
- Suspect says he was trying to launch a career as a ‘parody’ drill rapper
An aspiring rapper accused of plotting a terror attack has told a court he wanted to start a smoothie business called ‘Healthily Wealthy.’
Sahayb Abu, 27, told the Old Bailey he bought a trike which he planned on riding around London making cold drinks.
Jurors had already heard Sahayb unwittingly spoke with an undercover operative posing as an extremist with whom he discussed buying guns.
The officer infiltrated an allegedly extremist Telegram chat called ‘Servants of the Unseen’ to which Sahayb belonged and told members there was a way to smuggle guns into the UK.
Sahayb Abu (pictured) said he dreamed of having a drinks business he planned on calling Healthily Wealthy
Abu, from Dagenham, East London, who denies ever considering or planning terrorist acts, said of his drinks dream: ‘I wanted to have a blender in there and maybe an ice box with strawberry.
‘As well as working in shops, I wanted to go around London first thing in the morning.
‘People going off to work would say ‘smoothies, there’s a smoothie man standing somewhere in the road selling smoothies.
‘I can’t murder, I can’t do it, I can’t have someone’s blood on my hands.
‘I can’t be that man, I’m no angel, I’ve done wrong, I’ve wronged people.
Sahayb (pictured) is alleged to have bought an 18inch gladiator-style sword, a combat vest, two balaclavas, fingerless gloves and a combat-style hat as he allegedly prepared his attack before his arrest last July
A picture of the knife Abu allegedly bought online. He has been accused of planning a terror attack during lockdown
‘I’ve made my mum cry but to murder is a different story, we’re talking about taking a life unjustly I can’t be that person.’
He also denied actively keeping ‘ghastly’ videos of terrorism or Isis.
Abu added: ‘The reason why I would watch them was to get a glimpse of my two brothers, if they were in the videos.
‘I believed it was propaganda, to recruit people, people who have got nothing to live for.
‘They can’t do that to me, I have got a future, I have got goals.’
Jurors have heard the suspect was trying to launch a career as a ‘parody’ drill rapper at the time of the alleged terrorist plot.
Abu has claimed he bought the weapons as ‘props’ for his music videos.
‘I am a musician but I thought he wouldn’t take me seriously if I said I was into my music,’ he told the court.
Abu and his brother Muhamed, 32, were arrested following an operation involving the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command at their London addresses in July 2020.
Aspiring rapper Sahayb allegedly bought an 18-inch sword, knife and body armour in preparation for an attack before he was arrested last July.
His brother is accused of failing to tell authorities what he knew of the plan.
CCTV issued by the Metropolitan Police showing Abu and his brother Muhamed in a fast food restaurant
Earlier in the trial Sahayb claimed he founded charity Islamic Growth to provide irrigation for crops in Somalia and wanted to be a vegetable farmer.
But he first needed to become famous in order to earn money and attention for his cause and was planning to launch a parody rap act on Tik Tok.
Today the jury was told he and his brother fought like ‘Liam and Noel Gallagher.’
Sahayb Abu, of Dagenham in Essex, has denied preparation of terrorist acts and Muhamed Abu, from Norwood, south London, has pleaded not guilty to failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism.
The trial continues.