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A former public schoolboy who converted to Islam was convicted today of planning a major suicide bombing in Britain.
Andrew Ibrahim, 20, who changed his first name to Isa, made his own bombs and constructed a suicide vest to carry them to his intended target, the Broadmead shopping centre in Bristol in April last year.
Police had found a stash of home-made high explosive HMTD — identical to that used in the 7/7 attacks — in the fridge when they raided his Bristol home. They also found an electrical circuit capable of detonating the explosive at short range and a half-made suicide vest. The heroin and crack addict had been expelled from several schools. After converting to Islam he spent months researching Islamic fundamentalism on the internet. He found instructions on how to make explosives and articles on the justification for suicide attacks.
He bragged to fellow Muslims at mosques across Bristol about his plans to attack innocent victims with his home-made bombs.
Ibrahim also described the UK as a “dirty toilet” and believed that the 9/11 attacks were a justifiable response to US and UK aggression towards Muslims.
At first his rants were dismissed as fantasy but, when he turned up at the mosque with cuts and bruises, suspicions mounted. Members of the Muslim community tipped off police and he was arrested on 17 April last year.
A jury at Winchester crown court found Ibrahim guilty of terrorism charges including making explosives and the suicide vest and carrying out reconnaissance for the bombing.
He was handed an indeterminate sentence. Mr Justice Butterfield said he should serve a minimum of 10 years but would not be considered for release until the parole board was convinced he no longer posed a risk of serious harm to the public.
Police today paid tribute to the Muslim community for tipping them off about Ibrahim's plans which saved possibly hundreds of shoppers from death. Detectives believe this was the first counter-terrorist organisation in the UK sparked by community intelligence alone.
Detective Superintendent Nigel Rock said it “could have been a matter of days” before Ibrahim attempted the atrocity. He said: “Without the support of the Muslim community the worst could have happened. It was very close.”
Reader views (12)
I think in this context innocent means non-combatant, as Islamic texts explicitly prohibits the killing of women and children, and others as well. So in Islam people are not allowed to kill other people solely because of their views and belief- but maybe killing in Islam is allowed for other reasons. That's what one of my mate told me, so Muslims don't believe that you could kill non Muslim because his a disbeliever. In addition to this in Islam you are allowed to kill a Muslim iff he deserves to be killed and the Shareeah law says when that is.
I think some people here are clearly misinformed.
- Leavaski, London
"Islam prohibits killing of innocent human beings " says Siddiq Khatri.
The problem is that according to the Koran, all unbelievers are wrong-doers and so no non-Muslim is innocent. Islam teaches that disbelief is a greater sin than murder. Unfortunately that makes us all fair game.
- Dave N, Lancaster UK
Well we can all sleep soundly knowing the parole board will take charge of his future. He'll be out in a few weeks
- Thorrun, Brentwood UK
Fantasist with a big mouth. Plank. Nutter. Yes to all three, and this fool should never ever be let out of whichever secure nut-house they put him into.
- Ted, London
Islam prohibits killing of innocent human beings. The misguided youth was rightfully prevented.
- Siddiq Khatri, London, U.K.
Looks like a right plonker! nothing new there then.
- Alan, London
Wonderful as it is that the information leading to the arrest came from the muslim community, this young criminal was one of ours, they didn't give us anything of theirs.
- Dogjon, London
This proves what I have known for some time. The majority of the Muslim population simply want to get on with their lives and have little sympathy with the nutters who act in their name. I have had long chats with a Muslim bus driver who I was pleased to call my friend. He told me that when he suggested going to visit family in Pakistan his children would protest and ask why they couldn't go to Disneyworld instead. We're all the same under the skin.
- Scotty, Cambridge UK
Throw the key away let him rot.
- Alan Mathews, canada
Thank you! Shukran to those members of the Muslim community who alerted the police to this piece of filth. If he thought that Britain is such a 'dirty toilet', then why not just leave? I have been to several countries which I ended up despising for one reason or another and I just got on a plane. I left America pronto when Bush got in for the second time. It is vermin like this dispicable and dangerous scum who are causing such horrible divisions here and giving law-abiding and peaceful Muslims a bad name. Sometimes I despair for the world. Oh, and by the way, just for the record: I am totally opposed to our presence in both Iraq and Afghanistan. From an ex-uniformed, blue eyed, red-haired Scot. Insh Allah. PS: I bet he's going to have a great time in prison - for the rest of his life. He should have stuck to heroin and saved us all this trouble, especially if he'd managed to overdose.
- John Neighbour, London.
Good on the members of the Islamic community who identified him to the police, we could do with more of that sort of openness.
- Bob, Cheam
But his surname was Ibrahim, so how is he a "Convert"? State Disinformation.
- 1mongrel, London
