Terror accused Shasta Khan denies jihad plan at Oldham home

An Oldham woman whose husband admitted planning terrorist attacks has been accused in court of trying to carry out "jihad at home".

Shasta Khan, 38, has denied being involved with her husband's plans to attack Bury's Jewish community.

At Manchester Crown Court, Mrs Khan denied engaging in preparation for terrorism and possessing information useful for terrorism.

Mohammed Sajid Khan, 33, pleaded guilty to the charges at an earlier hearing.

Prosecutor Bobbie Cheema told the court the couple had become "radicalised by material found on the internet such as an al-Qaeda magazine called Inspire".

"The aim [of the magazine] is to encourage Muslims to carry out violent holy war or jihad by mounting attacks in their own countries independent of any outside direction or association with any other person," she said.

"In response, the two of them began to make preparations to carry out a terrorist attack on British soil, with the most likely target being an orthodox Jewish area of Prestwich in Greater Manchester."

Ms Cheema said the pair had bought substances and equipment from supermarkets to assemble an improvised explosive device and "scoped out" targets with the aim of carrying out "jihad at home".

She added the "path from radicalisation to atrocity" had "mercifully" been stopped after a domestic row led to police being called to their house in Oldham, after which Mrs Khan's brother told officers that Mr Khan was "a home-grown terrorist".

Ms Cheema said Mrs Khan had then chosen to "spill the beans" about her husband and, in her "emotional state", had given no thought to the consequences for herself of talking to police, believing officers would believe the "dutiful wife who had pointed the finger".

The case continues.