Parsons Green bomb accused 'wanted to be new David Attenborough'

A teenager told jurors he planted a bomb on the Tube at Parsons Green as part of a fugitive fantasy fuelled by action films.

Budding photographer Ahmed Hassan dreamed of studying to become the next David Attenborough when he came to Britain from Iraq in 2015.

The Iraqi asylum seeker arrived in October 2015 and went on to tell immigration officials he had been forced to train "to kill" by IS, the court has heard.

Then on September 15 last year, the 18-year-old media student planted 400g of homemade explosives and shrapnel on a District Line tube timed to go off when it reached the west London stop, the Old Bailey 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.

Giving evidence in his defence, Hassan told jurors he was never taken prisoner by IS.

Tim Moloney QC, defending, asked:

Hassan replied:

He told jurors he made up the story about being kidnapped by IS to get leave to remain in Britain.

Asked why, he said:

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

Hassan has denied attempted murder and using the chemical compound TATP to cause an explosion that was likely to endanger life. The trial continues.