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A teenage terrorist who idolised the killers of Lee Rigby plotted to decapitate a soldier in a copycat attack and pose for a photo with the severed head, a court has heard.

Brustholm Ziamani, 19, was arrested in East London in August last year and is standing trial at the Old Bailey on charges of planning an armed terror attack.

He was found with a 12-inch knife and a hammer wrapped in an Islamic flag in his rucksack, the court heard.

Ziamani later told a security officer that he had been on his way to kill a British soldier at an army barracks when he was stopped by police, it is claimed.

"He stated that he was going to behead the solider and hold his head up in the air so that his friend could take a photograph," said prosecutor Annabel Darlow.

"He was going to emulate the dubious feats of his hero Michael Adebolajo."

(Image: PA)

He had allegedly boasted to his ex-girlfriend three days earlier that he would "kill soldiers" and wrote a letter warning: "You want war, you got it, British soldiers heads will be removed and burned".

The prosecutor said Ziamani became radicalised after reverting to Islam in the spring of 2014.

Miss Annabel Darlow told a jury: "It is the case for the Crown that this defendant in the spring and summer of 2014 began preparing for the commission of an act of terrorism.

"His hatred of non-believers, extreme beliefs and interest in violent jihad began to crystallize into a plan to attack a member of the British military forces.

"He researched the locations of military bases; specifically locations of army cadets in southeast London.

"His idols were the two men who in May 2013 had murdered a young soldier, Lee Rigby, on the streets of Woolwich: Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale."

(Image: ITV)

"Ziamani showed an increasing interest in radical Islam; posting Facebook messages which extolled the virtues of dying in pursuit of a violent martyrdom and of armed conflict with the West.

"He wrote a letter, which was recovered by the police, expressing his intention to wage war against the British government on home soil."

"His letter read: 'You want war you got it British soldiers heads will be removed and burned u cannot defeat the Muslims we love to die the way you love to live'."

Ziamani told his ex-girlfriend about his terror plot and showed her the hammer and knife on 16 August 2014, the court heard.

Three days later he was arrested in Whitechapel, east London.

Miss Darlow said: "Although he said nothing when interviewed by the police he told a security officer following his arrest that he had been on his way to kill a British solider at an army barracks when he had been arrested."

Ziamani had previously been arrested in June 2014, the court heard.

The court heard on June 20 he had Googled "Camberwell army cadets" and looked at the website of the London Irish Rifles Association, and for cadets in Lewisham, looking at details of the Army Cadet Force in Blackheath.

Ms Darlow added: "These were all military targets which would reflect the defendant's stated intention to wage war on the British Government and to further his ambition of carrying out attacks like those on Lee Rigby in Woolwich."

After his June arrest police found a letter in his jeans addressed to his "beloved parents" saying he was a "changed person".

He wrote of being martyred and going to paradise and referenced people being raped, tortured and killed in Iraq and Syria, saying that he had a "duty" to help them.

He wrote: "Because I have no means ov gettin there I will wage war against the british government on this soil the british government will have a taste of there own medicine they will be humiliated this is ISIB Islamic State of Ireland and Britain (all sic)."

He added: "Now we will take a thousand ov yours then ten thousand and send you all to the hell-fire you want war you got it British soldiers heads will be removed and burned u cannot defeat the Muslims we love to die the way you love to live my fellow muslim brothers these people want war lets kill them slaughter them and implement sharia in our lands and UK (all sic)."

He went on: "Lee Rigby is burnin in hell im dying good for him this is what you get for voting Cameron and democracy."

He told police he looked up to radical preachers including Abu Hamza and Anjem Choudary, but denied he was planning an attack.

He was later released on bail and spoken to in July by anti-radicalisation Prevent Engagement Officers.

The court heard Ziamani was unresponsive and said he "did not need help with his religion" and had left the home of his Christian family.

Ziamani, from Camberwell, southeast London, denies engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts.

The trial continues.