text: The Old Bailey was told that Kazi Islam, 18, sent texts to Harry Thomas, 19, who had learning difficulties, persuading him to buy parts for a bomb . A teenager bullied and groomed a friend with learning difficulties into helping him make a pipe bomb in a series of coded text messages which were given away when the friend failed to grasp that 'cake' was a codeword for 'bomb', a court has heard. Kazi Islam, 18, sent messages via his Blackberry to Harry Thomas, 19, praising Lee Rigby's killers and encouraging him to buy a knife to attack soldiers with, along with the ingredients to make an explosive device, the Old Bailey was told. Islam, who is accused of preparing for acts of terrorism, used  'cake' as code for bomb in his messages, but failing to understand his ingenious ruse, Thomas replied: 'Cake? U mean the b o m b', the jury was told. The court heard that Islam, from Manor Park, east London, met Mr Thomas at Barking and Dagenham College in October 2013, and immediately began manipulating him. Messages taken from Islam's phone show that Mr Thomas had confided in Islam about a break-up with his girlfriend, and Islam lied to him about suffering a break-up of his own, saying: ‘Coming back to Islam helped me.’ Prosecutor Annabel Darlow QC said Islam then used his friend to help assemble parts for a pipe bomb, including fireworks, hydrogen peroxide, pipes, metal end caps and glue. She said: ‘The defendant carefully groomed Mr Thomas over many months, flattering him when he appeared willing to do his bidding and bullying him with implied threats of what people associated with him would do if he didn’t carry out his wishes when he didn’t appear to be going according to plan. ‘During the same time period, Kazi Islam carried out research on the internet for information which could assist him in the construction of an explosive device. ‘He also applied liberal encouragement to Thomas to murder a British soldier, inciting him with stories about the murder of innocent children by the military forces and referring approvingly to the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich.’ Ms Darlow said Islam’s messages on WhatsApp and BlackBerry messenger show he was trying to radicalise others at the same time. She added: ‘His activities centred upon two particular planned acts of terrorism. The first of those was a plot to construct an improvised explosive device. The pair met while at Barking and Dagenham College (pictured) in October 2013 after Mr Thomas confided in Islam about breaking up with his girlfriend. Islam then began bullying and grooming Mr Thomas . ‘He also entered into discussions about a second scheme of his, that was to murder a member of the armed forces, although the evidence would seem to show us that the first plot had reached a far more advanced stage than the second. ‘In respect of both enterprises, he sought to use a vulnerable and impressionable young man with mental health difficulties.’ Shortly after the pair met in October 2013, they began talking about buying 'ingredients' for their bomb, with Mr Thomas telling Islam where to find steel and brass caps, the Old Bailey heard. In messages on November 1, Islam admonishes his friend for buying ten inch pipes instead of five inch ones, the jury was told. In a text message Islam then adds: ‘What you need to do is get me the fireworks mate. Ones dat have flash powder in them. The explosions gonna make a big noise.’ Four days later Islam sends Mr Thomas a picture, and Mr Thomas replies asking: 'Is that what we're going to make?' While the image was not shown in court, Ms Darlow said it could be inferred from the response. She added: ‘As the messages between Mr Thomas and the defendant expose all too clearly, Mr Thomas was a vulnerable, not particularly bright young man who was desperate to impress Islam and to try and forge some sort of friendship with him. The court heard that Islam tried to use 'cake' as a codeword for the bomb, but not understanding Mr Thomas replied, saying: 'Cake? U mean the b o m b' ‘Islam exploited to the utmost his friend’s vulnerability and obvious wish to try and ingratiate himself with Islam.’ In December 2013 it appears that Mr Thomas began having second thoughts about the plot, so Islam told him that British soldiers had murdered an innocent 10-year-old boy, the court heard. Mr Thomas then asked Islam if a report in a newspaper saying one of Lee Rigby’s killers had raped a teenager was true, the jury was told. Islam responded: ‘If you read it in the newspaper it’s lies, the media will do anything to give Muslims a bad name.’ Islam also suggested that Mr Thomas change his first name from Harry to Haroon, saying it sounded better. Later that month Islam began messaging Mr Thomas about killing a soldier with a knife, Ms Darlow told the Old Bailey. In messages shown to the court, Islam wrote: ‘David Cameron is sending troops to kill innocent people, his soldiers are committing mass murder. ‘If the war doesn’t stop, there should be another soldier killed.’ Thomas replied: ‘U want me to get one’ and Islam told him ‘yeah’. Islam then asked if Mr Thomas would carry out an attack on a soldier. He replied: ‘I don’t agree with what Cameron is doing. I would kill a soldier because they are scum. They have no right to kill these children.’ Pleased with the reply, Islam told him: ‘Well done Harry. I’m glad you understand mate.. I’m proud of you.’ Around the same time Islam began asking Mr Thomas to buy hydrogen peroxide from a shop in order to make into explosives, the court was told. In February the following year Islam also downloaded issues of Al Qaeda's magazine Inspire to his laptop, along with a guide on how to make semtex, Ms Darlow said. However, messages revealed that around this time Islam discovered that Mr Thomas had been telling other people about the bomb, and began threatening him, it was said. He wrote: 'The brothers are gonna come after me and kill me and they’re gonna kill u as well.' Police raided Islam's home in August and recovered a Lenovo laptop computer where they found the bomb-making guides, along with evidence of searches for extreme preachers and extremist material. Islam also sent Mr Thomas texts praising Michael Adebolajo (left) and Michael Adebowale (right), Lee Rigby's killers, and asked his friend to get a meat clever to kill a soldier, the Old Bailey heard . The court heard Islam’s phone had been used to look up the Al Qaeda propaganda magazine Inspire and the article ‘44 ways to support Jihad’. Islam had also looked up the name of hate preacher Anjem Choudary, killer Michael Adebolajo, and former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg, police said. Ms Darlow said that when Islam was arrested, police also raided Mr Thomas’ home. She added: ‘Nothing was found to suggest Harry Thomas had in fact gone on to purchase any of the items the defendant had asked him to purchase.’ Islam denies engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, contrary to section 5 (1) of the Terrorism Act 2006. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
target: Kazi Islam, 18, accused of grooming Harry Thomas, 19, for acts of terror .
  Islam met Mr Thomas, who has learning difficulties, at east London college .
  Tried to persuade Mr Thomas to buy ingredients for pipe bomb, court told .
  Used 'cake' as code in text message, but Mr Thomas did not understand .
  Islam denies preparing for acts of terrorism and his trial continues .