Briton arrested with bomb at Leeds hospital, convicted of terrorism – JURIST

A former student nurse who was previously convicted of bringing a pressure bomb into a British hospital has also been found guilty of planning a terror attack on a Royal Air Force base, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said 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 firearm and an explosive device, and telling a person at the hospital that he “wanted to kill everyone.” Police found a pressure canister on Farooq, and a search of his vehicle revealed additional materials that could be used to prepare improvised explosive devices, such as nails, bins, explosive compound, and floor plans. The hospital where Farooq was arrested was located near a Royal Air Force base. Based on these factors and a review of the defendant's internet search history, prosecutors argued that he planned to target the base next.

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

Commissioner Paul Greenwood, head of investigations for Counter Terrorism Police North East, welcomed the outcome of the case, saying:

This trial has clearly demonstrated Farooq’s intention to act on his beliefs and carry out an attack. He had researched and prepared for his actions, building an improvised explosive device and prioritising his targets. “He was primarily motivated by an ideology inspired by Daesh, but also by his own deep-seated grievances. It was these extreme personal grievances that ultimately brought him to St James’s in January last year.”

Farooq will stand trial at Sheffield Crown Court on a date yet to be set, but the investigation is continuing and authorities are working to identify any accomplices or networks that may have supported his activities.

The British security service MI5 currently considers terrorism a “substantial” threat to the country.