Fanatic who laughed at tributes left for Lee Rigby

Royal Barnes was filmed by his wife laughing at the floral tributes. Picture: PA

A BRITISH Muslim who associated with one of Fusilier Lee Rigby’s murderers yesterday pleaded guilty to posting videos on YouTube glorifying the horrific killing.

Royal Barnes, 23, of Hackney, London, and his wife Rebekah Dawson, 22, recorded and uploaded three videos shortly after the murder in Woolwich, London, in May 2013. In one of the videos posted under his account Musa Real Talks, Barnes hailed the murder as a “brilliant day” and in a follow-up he mocked the outpouring of public grief, laughing uncontrollably as he drove past floral tributes.

Barnes, who knew one of the murderers, Michael Adebowale, also posted on Facebook the offer of a reward for avenging the rape of an Iraqi woman. None of his 500 friends replied.The post on 12 June, 2013, stated: “Any1 who kills an invading soldier in Muslim land I will give them a Vauxhall Astra 3door and money (French British American any kaffir soldier take ur pick).”

He pleaded guilty to three counts of disseminating a terrorist publication and one of inciting murder during a hearing at the Old Bailey. His wife, who had insisted on wearing her veil in court, previously admitted disseminating a terrorist publication and is awaiting sentence.

Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, will be sentenced this month over the murder of Fusilier Rigby.

The British Muslim converts ran the soldier down in a car before hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in a frenzied attack. They dumped his body in the middle of the road near Woolwich Barracks.

Barnes’s lawyer, Naeem Mian, said: “Mr Barnes makes three postings on YouTube immediately after the death of Fusilier Lee Rigby which are, to say the very least, untasteful.”

Prosecuting, Kate Wilkinson told the court that before the postings, Barnes had been involved with a Sharia law patrol of London streets, ordering women in short shirts to cover up and telling people to stop drinking alcohol.

He was also a member of extremist group Al-Muhajiroun – or Muslims Against Crusades – taking part in demonstrations advocating Sharia law in the UK, including one on 24 December, 2012, outside St Paul’s Cathedral with Adebowale.

The court was then shown all three videos and other examples of videos that Barnes had posted on YouTube.

The first video includes a clip of one of the Woolwich murderers talking with a knife in his hand in front of Fusilier Rigby’s body. What follows is an on-camera seven-and-a-half minutes diatribe by Barnes, filmed by his wife. He describes the murder as a “brilliant day” and warns Prime Minister David Cameron and the British public that the attack will not be the last. He says: “You are not safe here, do you understand? British soldiers, you are not safe on the streets of London.”

The second video shows Dawson in a veil behind a title: “British troops kill Muslims so they will die on London streets.”

She says: “Now this guy who has been killed, Joe Bloggs or whatever his name is, was killed, this is the lion, the tiger fighting back. We are fighting back and Sharia, obviously, the Islamic law, will dominate the entire world. Don’t worry, it is coming Inshallah [God willing].”

The third video shows Barnes, filmed by his wife, driving past the murder scene. They laugh repeatedly as they take in the floral tributes to the murdered soldier lining the street.

Judge Brian Barker adjourned sentencing while reports are carried out. Barnes, along with fellow members of the Sharia street patrols, was convicted in November last year of using threatening and abusive words and behaviour towards members of the public.

After yesterday’s hearing, Commander Richard Walton, head of the Counter Terrorism Command (SO15), said: “Fusilier Rigby’s murder shocked the nation. We will target and prosecute anyone who glorifies and encourages terrorism in this way.”