Ahmed Hassan, 18, pictured in a court sketch today, allegedly told immigration officials he had been forced to train 'to kill' by Isis

The Parsons Green 'bomber' has told a court he made up a story about being kidnapped by Islamic State because he wanted to study in Britain to become the new David Attenborough.

Ahmed Hassan arrived in Britain in October 2015 and told immigration officials he had been forced to train 'to kill' by Isis, the Old Bailey has heard.

But the 18-year-old Iraqi asylum seeker has now told jurors that he was never taken prisoner by Isis and had not had any contact with the terror group.

Asked why he made up the story, the media student told the court: 'Because I came from a wealthy, safe area in northern Iraq in Kurdistan and if I told the truth, my only reason to leave the country was to further my studies ... I felt I had to make up something strong.

'In the Jungle in Calais, people used to talk about these things and make up stories. I never came across a refugee who said he would tell the truth when he arrived in the country.

'I wanted to go to university and my ultimate goal was to become a wildlife photographer like David Attenborough.'

Hassan also told jurors he watched a lot of action films and documentaries last summer and developed a 'fantasy' about making a bomb and becoming a fugitive.

This image of Hassan with a knife taken in his bedroom was also released by Scotland Yard

The lounge at Hassan's home address is seen in this image issued by the Metropolitan Police

On September 15 last year, Hassan planted 400g of homemade explosives and shrapnel on a District line Tube timed to go off when it reached the West London stop, the court has heard.

When he was picked up at the port of Dover the following morning, he told police he had made the bomb, which only partially exploded on the packed rush hour service.

Hassan said he never intended the bomb to kill, adding: 'The idea of killing another human being never crossed my mind at all, never in my life.

He said the device was intended to burn rather than explode and added: 'My final destination was home. That was the fantasy in my head. I would be chased and I would not be caught and I would be on the news and I would go home.'

Jurors have heard that Hassan told his lecturer Katie Cable he had a 'duty to hate this country'.

Alison Morgan, prosecuting, said: 'And you did feel you had a duty to hate Britain, because of what happened to your father?' Hassan replied: 'No, not at all.'

Ms Morgan continued: 'You believed that coalition forces were responsible for his death, didn't you?' Hassan denied this.

The prosecutor said: 'And you believed the fight against Britain should be brought into this country, didn't you?' He answered: 'No, never.'

A sofa the in conservatory behind which a bag containing a trace of TATP was discovered

A rucksack and contents in Hassan's possession upon his arrest at the Port of Dover in Kent

Hassan said that people used to make up stories in the Jungle camp in Calais (pictured in 2015)

The prosecutor said a witness had heard Hassan listening to a 'call to arms', encouraging 'slaughter in this homeland'. Hassan said: 'I am afraid I cannot remember listening to that.'

Giving evidence in his defence, Hassan told how he was born in Baghdad.

His mother died when he was young and his taxi driver father was killed in an explosion in 2006, he said.

'So far as I'm aware, I was told that he died in an explosion while he was working as a taxi driver. He used to go to work and come back evenings and then he did not come back.

'It was very difficult. I did not understand what was going on. I was in a state of confusion because of fighting, because of bombing.'

Hassan told jurors he moved to northern Iraq with his uncle and older brother, and from the age of 12 worked ferrying goods such as vegetables across the border with Iran.

The defendant said he decided to leave Iraq because he wanted 'a better life'.

A bedroom wardrobe with a container with traces of hydrogen peroxide found on top (left) and the door to Hassan's bedroom (right)

Pictured are packs of partially empty drill bits which were used as shrapnel in the device

A blue vase similar to one found in the device outside by the conservatory at Hassan's home

He said: 'I wanted studying, I wanted to learn English and there was so much pressure on me to keep on with my job.'

He smuggled himself to Britain by train and on a lorry at the age of 16, he said.

Hassan, wearing a white open-necked shirt under a dark blue jumper, confirmed his name when asked by his barrister Tim Moloney QC today.

Speaking with his head bowed, he confirmed he would not be using an interpreter but said he may need to ask for questions to be repeated or rephrased.

He said: 'My English is not perfect and my accent is not perfect either.'

He told the court he has one older brother, aged 25, who is still in his native country of Iraq.

Asked if his parents were still alive, Hassan said: 'No, passed away.'

He said he was too young to remember his mother, but said he remembered his father, who died when Hassan was aged seven.

A photograph of the smoke-ridden District line carriage shortly after the device exploded

Hassan allegedly packed a bucket with TATP explosives and shrapnel and left it on the train

Ahmed Hassan is pictured waiting at the Port of Dover in Kent after arriving there by train

Hassan told the jury: 'So far as I am aware I was told that he died in an explosion while he was working as a taxi driver.'

Hassan said he left Iraq because he wanted 'a better life'.

He described himself as a good student.

The 18-year-old said: 'I was very good. I was very clever.'

Asked by Mr Moloney if he had ever been mistreated by IS, Hassan said: 'No, I have never had any contact with IS at all.'

He said it had been 'fairly easy' to cross the border from Iraq to Turkey.

Hassan is pictured on board a Southern train to Brighton after the incident on the Tube

The kitchen timer used as an initiator mechanism, in addition to a battery and a halogen bulb

Hassan allegedly took the largest Tupperware container, pictured above, from his foster parents' kitchen to store the 300g of TATP which made up the main charge for the device

Hassan had stayed in Istanbul for about two weeks before moving on to Italy, where he said he had not been well treated.

He said: 'I was abused by the Italian authorities. They were not very nice with me, so I left.'

Hassan travelled from there to Paris, then to the Jungle camp in Calais, before entering the UK on a lorry.

Hassan told jurors he spent three days in hospital because he 'considered to commit suicide'.

He said he used to snap pencils at college because he would get 'angry' and needed a way to 'empty myself' and have a 'peaceful moment'.

Hassan told jurors he enjoyed studying photography when he was at Brooklands College in Weybridge. He described himself as 'very shy'.

The contents of the 'Mother of Satan' bomb allegedly prepared by Hassan then put on the Tube

In addition to nuts and bolts, he is accused of placing knives inside the device to be shrapnel

Hassan, who was living with foster parents at the time, is pictured using a cash machine

Shrapnel would be 'ejected at high speed' to 'increase the potential for harm' the jury was told

Hassan said: 'I enjoyed being behind the camera rather than in front of the camera.'

The court was shown a series of pictures taken by Hassan, some of deer in Richmond Park, South West London.

He said he eventually wanted to be a wildlife photographer.

Jurors also saw two short animations, one of which was a carrot in the guise of a character walking along, both created by Hassan.

He added: 'I was part of a project that I was going to finish this year. I was going to make a short cartoon.'

Hassan told the court he ran a business selling mobile phones, earning him around £100 each week.

He said he had to keep it secret because he has not been granted the right to remain in the UK.

'I was running a business, I was selling phones. So people would call me to make me an offer,' he said.

Other items Hassan is said to have piled into the explosive included screwdrivers

The device 'has the potential to cause damage to property and or serious harm', the jury heard

The scene of devastation was left behind after the device partially detonated on the train

He added: 'Because I wasn't allowed to make money, I had to keep it a secret.'

He sold the phones online on sites like Gumtree but usually delivered them in person, he said.

Asked if he was religious, Hassan, who described himself as a Sunni Muslim, said: 'I am, I pray five times a day.'

When asked if he cared about people being from different religions, he said: 'Not at all, not in the slightest.'

The defendant, who had been named student of the year at Brooklands College in 2017, said he had also been a top student in his own country for six years in a row.

He said he is continuing his studies from prison and 'doing my best to concentrate'.

Hassan added: 'I am still doing my work and they (the college) have accepted me to finish my assignments.'

Hassan told jurors how he made TATP explosives on September 13 last year from the chemicals he had bought.

He also said he found a 'very easy' YouTube recipe to make TATP, adding: 'It was a fantasy, I was bored. I wanted to receive attention.'

Hassan is said to have gone to a Sports Direct in Ashford where bought a backpack and clothes

Hassan had not dried out the bomb-making chemicals before use, an expert said

The suspected bomber is pictured in Dover in September after travelling from London by train

CCTV cameras caught the moment the Hassan was arrested at the Port of Dover in Kent

The suspected bomber was captured as he was placed in the back of a waiting police van

He had already assembled a timer by following a 'step-by-step' detailed guide online, he said.

The defendant went on to test the TATP on September 14 'because I wanted to be certain it would not explode'.

Hassan said he only intended for it to burn.

Hassan tested 50g of TATP in a Coca-Cola can on the kitchen table of his foster home in Sunbury, Surrey, he said.

He told jurors: 'I heard a 'whoof' and a very small heat, fire, for a fraction of a second.'

The teenager added: 'I was certain that it would not explode. It would just burn.'

Hassan, who was living with foster parents in Sunbury, Surrey, has denied attempted murder and using the chemical compound TATP to cause an explosion that was likely to endanger life.

The trial continues.

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