Briton arrested for bomb attack in Leeds hospital and convicted of terrorism – JURIST

A former nursing student who was previously convicted of transporting a pressure cooker bomb to a British hospital has now also been found guilty of planning a terrorist attack on a Royal Air Force base, the British Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced on Tuesday.

On January 20, 2023, Mohammad Farooq – a British citizen and former nursing student – ​​was arrested for entering St. James’s Hospital in Leeds with a gun and an explosive device, telling a person at the hospital that he “wanted to kill everyone.” Police discovered a pressure cooker bomb on Farooq’s person, and a search of his vehicle found additional materials that could be used to make improvised explosive devices, such as nails, tubs, an explosive mixture, and floor plans. The hospital where Farooq was arrested was near a Royal Air Force base. Based on these factors and a review of the defendant’s internet search history, prosecutors argued that he had planned to attack the base next.

Farooq previously pleaded guilty to several charges, including possession of information useful to terrorists and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence. However, he denied that his actions amounted to the preparation of terrorist acts. Nevertheless, a jury at Sheffield Crown Court later found him guilty of preparing terrorist acts under the Terrorism Act 2006.

Detective Superintendent Paul Greenwood, head of investigations for the North East Counter Terrorism Police, praised the outcome of the case and said:

This trial clearly showed that Farooq had the intention of acting on his beliefs and carrying out an attack. He had thoroughly researched and prepared his actions, improvised an explosive device and prioritised his targets. “He was motivated primarily by an ideology inspired by Daesh, but also by his own deep-seated resentments. It was these extreme, personal resentments that ultimately led him to St James’s in January last year.”

Farooq will be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court at a date to be confirmed, but investigations are ongoing and authorities are trying to identify any accomplices or networks that may have supported his activities.

The British secret service MI5 currently classifies terrorism as a “significant” threat to the country.