Text message to bomb suspect probed

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Nicky Reilly, 22, was brainwashed into carrying out the mission by extremists who took advantage of his low IQ and mental health problems, detectives believe.

The bomb was made from sodium hydroxide and paraffin and surrounded by nails. If it had gone off, it would have created a huge fireball.

The highly volatile device was designed to explode when it was shaken, and would have set off two other devices found nearby had it ignited.

Instead it failed, leaving Reilly bloodied and burned but not seriously hurt, and he was arrested by police outside the Giraffe cafe in Exeter on Thursday.

Counter-terrorism police were aware of Reilly who, they suspected, had forged loose links to known extremists in south-west England, sources said.

The men may have met in an internet cafe close to the council flat he shared with his mother.

A man was arrested in Reilly's home town of Plymouth when armed officers raided a cafe on Friday.

Terrified shoppers feared a terror attack and ran screaming when at least 10 armed officers raided the Bagatelle Cafe, witnesses said.

Armed officers pointed their weapons "point blank" at two "dark-skinned" men sitting with a child in a pram, onlookers said.