It is thought that the victim was targeted due to his public profile and outspoken political views.
From their enquiries, detectives found that Khan – working at a supermarket at the time – believed he stood to receive up to £80,000 for carrying out the murder.
In a unanimous verdict delivered on Friday, 28 January, he was found guilty of conspiracy to murder and he was sentenced today (Friday, 11 March) to life imprisonment, to serve at least 13 years.
Commander Richard Smith from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “The dedication and diligence of counter-terrorism officers, Border Force colleagues, and our Dutch law enforcement counterparts led to justice being served in this chilling case of conspiracy to murder.
“Khan fell foul of his own low cunning and artifice, and the investigation found he was willing to carry out a murder for financial gain, giving no regard for his intended victim.
“We were able to stop Khan from carrying out this murderous plot through cooperation with UK Border Force and our Dutch colleagues in the Rotterdam Counter Terrorism, Extremism and Radicalization (CTER) Unit who worked tirelessly alongside their SO15 counterparts throughout the investigation.
“Borders Officers at Rotterdam initially raised concerns over Khan as he was travelling back to the UK and following his arrest, and thanks to this vigilance and cooperation, our officers launched an investigation and were able to reveal his true intentions.”
During interviews with SO15 officers, Khan maintained that he never intended to carry out the killing. He said he had no idea who the victim was, and that he was motivated to get involved in what they called ‘the project’ in order to profit from an individual called ‘Mudz’.
However, officers identified that WhatsApp communications about the planned killing began on 17 February 2021 between Khan and this individual.
Detectives uncovered thousands of messages between Khan and ‘Mudz – also referred to as ‘Ali’ ‘Zed’ and ‘Papa’ – detailing plans for the murder. They talked about the price of the killing to be paid on successful completion, the terms of the agreement, travelling to Rotterdam, where the victim might be found and what he looked like.
Enquiries into establishing the identity and whereabouts of ‘Mudz’ remain ongoing, but detectives believe he may be a former business associate of Khan and goes by the name of ‘Muzzamil’. Anyone with information regarding this person can contact the investigation team, in confidence, by calling 0800 789 321 or by contacting Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Having agreed to the conspiracy, Khan left London via Eurostar on 17 June and arrived in Paris, before catching a bus to Rotterdam.
Khan stayed in Rotterdam for another few days but was unable to find the victim, and travelled back to the UK. Upon his arrival at St Pancras International on 23 June, he was greeted by police officers and stopped under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Border Officers in the Netherlands were concerned by Mr Khan’s nervous disposition and had communicated this to colleagues at St Pancras, leading to them stopping and speaking with Khan on his return to London.
Because Khan refused to provide officers with the PIN for his smartphone – a duty imposed on him as part of being stopped under schedule 7 – he was arrested, the phone was seized and an investigation launched. From this, officers were then able to gain access to Khan’s phone, which led them to uncover the real reason for his trip to Rotterdam and his involvement in the conspiracy to murder.
Two days after his initial stop at St Pancras, on the morning of 25 June, police executed a warrant at Khan’s home address and again arrested him. After further enquiries, Khan was charged on 28 June with conspiracy to murder contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
Khan, 31 (16.02 1990) of Sprowston Road, E7, was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court.
