An Islamic school teacher is on trial at the Old Bailey for allegedly attempting to spread extremist beliefs to children through a cartoon-style book.
Dzhamilya Timaeva is accused of obtaining a teaching role specifically to share "pro-Isis propaganda" with young pupils in 2022-23, the court heard.
Prosecutor Gareth Weetman told jurors that "the defendant saw it as her duty to teach these extremist beliefs to young children. In order to do so, she obtained a place as a teacher at an Islamic Sunday school."
The teenager faces charges related to the distribution of terrorist publications, including a children's book called "Little Muwahideen."
Dzhamilya Timaeva is on trial at the Old Bailey
PA
The "Little Muwahideen" book featured a colourful cartoon-style front cover designed to appeal to children, the Old Bailey was told.
The publication allegedly contained sections about waging war for Islam and references to "fitna," which often refers to a heretical uprising in the Quran.
Court evidence revealed Timaeva had sent an electronic copy of the book to the Tawheed Islamic Education Centre in Maidenhead.
She subsequently arranged to have 70 copies printed for distribution, prosecutors claimed.
"It follows that this clearly wasn't a distant dream of the defendant to teach young children the extremist and intolerant notions in this book. She had printed it and arranged to attend the classes to do so," Mr Weetman told the court.
The defendant had also reportedly sought access to children at the Windsor Muslim Association, which listed her as a teacher on its website in March 2023.
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Dzhamilya Timaeva is accused of obtaining a teaching role specifically to share "pro-Isis propaganda"
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Police who arrested Timaeva discovered concerning material on her phone, including notes titled "Permissibility of Suicidal Operations," the court heard.
The prosecution presented evidence of her attempts to teach at Islamic education centres, with arrangements made to lead a class in September 2022.
During a search of her home on March 2, officers found copies of the "Little Muwahideen" booklet, though prosecutors alleged many more had already been distributed.
The court was told that Timaeva had actively pursued teaching positions at multiple Islamic institutions, including both the Tawheed Islamic Education Centre and Windsor Muslim Association.
Mr Weetman detailed how she had successfully made arrangements to teach classes and planned to incorporate the controversial booklet into her lessons.
In an email sent after her arrest, Timaeva wrote: "They took my Little Muwahideen booklets. All praise is to Allah that I gave out so many not long ago, they only found a few copies at my house."
Further evidence emerged when a teacher at her school discovered her attempting to conceal shredded paper in an office cupboard.
The prosecution told jurors these torn documents, later reconstructed, contained material about jihad.
Timaeva has pleaded not guilty to four counts of disseminating terrorist publications, including the "Little Muwahideen" book.
She also denied possessing a video for terrorist purposes titled "Incite the Believers."
The trial at the Old Bailey has been adjourned until tomorrow.
