A JIHADI whose gang intended to use an army of children for multiple terror attacks was allowed two council flats — one for him and one for his wife.

Muhammad Abid, 27, was one of three men jailed over the plot to brainwash Muslim boys as young as 11. Their 30 targets included Heathrow and Big Ben.

8 Muhammad Abi, one of three terrorists convicted of planning an attack on top London tourist spots, claimed two council flats from Newham Council in East London Credit: PA:Press Association

Terrorist Abid conned his way into getting the two council flats by claiming his wife needed her own home because she “wanted her independence.”

He hired lawyers to successfully demand a second taxpayer-funded home.

He then managed to get more public money by claiming cash to be wife Juwayriyah Noor’s full-time carer because she was suffering “stress and depression” — even though his flat was a 20-minute drive from hers.

When details of the two homes emerged at Abid’s trial he said: “We are not legally obliged to live together.” Abid, 27, is the latest in a long line of jihadis who happily exploit benefits provided by a system they profess to despise.

8 Abid claimed that his wife needed a separate council flat because she 'wanted her independence' Credit: Nick Obank

8 Abid also claimed benefits for being his wife's carer, despite living apart from her in this East London tower block Credit: Nick Obank

MPs yesterday called for an investigation into how East London’s Newham Council was duped so easily by Abid.

Former Tory Cabinet Minister Priti Patel said: “The abuse of the housing register and benefits system is scandalous and questions must be asked as to how he cheated it.

“At a time when there is a shortage of housing Newham should have been more vigilant and carried out more checks.”

Fellow Tory David Davies said: “It’s an absolute disgrace. It needs to be properly investigated.”

8 The inside of Muhammad Abi's flat where he plotted the murder of innocent people in London Credit: PA:Press Association

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The Old Bailey heard how Abid was the friend and confidant of teacher Umar Haque, 25, mastermind of the plot to groom a “death squad” of Muslim children to carry out terror attacks.

They had worked together at a madrasa religious school where IS supporter Haque showed boys as young as 11 footage of beheadings and made them perform terrorism role-play exercises.

Their parents thought Haque, jailed for 25 years yesterday, was giving the children after-school classes at the Ripple Road mosque in Barking, London.

In fact he planned to recruit more that 100 of the children to carry out terror attacks with guns and bombs.

THE PLOT FANATIC Umar Haque planned to use a “death squad” of brainwashed Muslim boys to attack 30 targets including Big Ben and Tower Bridge. Other London landmarks found on a handwritten hit list included Heathrow, the Queen’s Guard, Parliament and various embassies. Teacher Haque admitted he had indoctrinated boys at Barking’s Ripple Road mosque with propaganda including IS beheading videos. One youngster later told police he “felt like killing the Queen”. Haque attempted to radicalise at least 100 of the 250 youngsters he had access to. Counter-terror police yesterday welcomed the jailing of Haque and his accomplices. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon said: “Haque was a dangerous man. He wanted to orchestrate numerous attacks at once, using guns, knives, bombs and large cars to kill innocent people.”

Father-of-three Abid was born and raised in Dewsbury, West Yorks, the home town of three of the four 7/7 bombers.

In 2010 the trained electrician moved to London and wed Juwayriyah in 2012. The following year he was given a one-bedroom flat in a tower block in Manor Park. But she was then given a first-floor flat four miles away in Canning Town.

Abid told jurors: “She wanted to maintain her independence from myself and, number two, because of her health conditions.”

He said he became her carer after she suffered post-natal depression.

Abid added: “My ambition since I was 19, working as an electrician, moving to London, I wanted to get into properties, doing them up and then selling them on.

8 A police tent erected inside the mosque, on Ripple Road in Barking, East London, where Umar Haque groomed children as young as 11 through terrorism role-play Credit: PA:Press Association

Terrorists using apps will get longer sentences TERRORISTS using encrypted social media messages to plot attacks will get longer jail terms under new guidelines. The Sentencing Council has toughened advice from April 27 in response to a shift in the threat with killers using low-tech methods such as cars or knives. The maximum sentence of life, with a minimum 40 years, for Section 5 cases stays. But the range for the lowest-level crimes will be three to six years compared to the existing 21 months to five years.

“When my wife became ill, I left everything and all steps to get into employment and looked on that as my job.”

Juwayriyah’s neighbors yesterday said it was a scandal that she and Abid had been allowed a flat each.

Rukshana Begum, 37, said: “It’s a scam basically. We all want more space to live but we can’t just pick up the phone to the council and demand what we want. What checks did they make? I think the council should have been tougher.”

An ex-neighbour of Abid’s said: “Maybe a lot of married people would quite like to live apart from each other.

8 Tower Bridge in London is a prime hotspot for British and international tourists and was identified as a target by the terrorists Credit: Alamy

8 Also on the list was the iconic Houses of Parliament, which suffered a terror attack as recently as March 2017 when jihadi Khalid Masood who killed five and injured more than 50 Credit: Getty - Contributor

“That’s okay if you’re rich and you can afford it. But there are a lot of homeless and people already waiting for council houses.

“This just takes it away from them.”

Abid was jailed for four years and three months yesterday for failing to report the plot.

A third jihadi, 19-year-old Abuthaher Mamun, got 12 years for helping Haque research and finance his plan. A fourth man, Nadeem Patel, 26, was cleared of plotting with Haque. He had previously admitted having a gun.

8 Fundraiser Abuthaher Mamun, 19, has been jailed for 12 years with a further year on extended licence Credit: PA:Press Association

It is understood Abid’s wife has now moved to a larger property outside the borough.

Hate preachers Abu Hamza and Anjem Choudhary both raised their families on benefits while publicly sneering at those who paid for it.

Newham Council yesterday said of Abid’s two flats: “The council was not aware that they were a couple until after the husband’s arrest.

“They have never been dealt with by our housing service as a couple.”

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