'Very dangerous and very clever' UK student built kamikaze drone for Islamic State in his bedroom
29 September 2023, 05:51
A PhD student built a drone for Islamic State that could drop a bomb or a chemical weapon.
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Mohamad Al Bared, 27, was found guilty of building the weapon at his home in Coventry and is facing a life sentence.
The Birmingham University laser drilling specialist denied being an IS supporter and said he built the bomb for his own research.
But prosecutors said his online conversations made it obvious he was a radical who supported the terror group - and had even filled out his own application form to join them.
After his conviction, Judge Paul Farrer KC told Al Bared: "The court is going to have to consider whether the appropriate sentence is one of life imprisonment.
"You have been convicted of an offence of the utmost gravity.
"A long prison sentence is the inevitable consequence of that but the length and nature of that sentence is a matter for careful consideration, and the court will take that decision having received input from the Probation Service."
Al Bared was arrested in January this year, when police found the drone at his house on Kare Road. He was convicted of a single count of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts to benefit a proscribed terrorist organisation.
Opening the Crown's case in August, at the start of a five-week trial, prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC told the court: "Police found a drone. They also found material suggesting this defendant supported Islamic State, a terrorist organisation."
The court heard Al Bared, who lived with his parents, was arrested while driving at the same time as the raid took place, and had a mobile phone which police also seized.
After showing the drone, which was contained in a large see-through plastic bag, to the jury, the prosecutor said it was of a type which has landing gear and a small digital camera.
"It had all the components required for it to fly," Ms Heeley added. "We suggest it was being manufactured to deliver a bomb ... to fly into IS enemy territory and deliver a chemical weapon or some other kind of device."
During the opening day of the trial, Ms Heeley also told how Al Bared had filled in an IS application form and set up a UK-registered company to help plans for future foreign travel.
Written material saying the idea for the drone was "somewhat inspired by the design of the Tomahawk missile" was also put before the jury, in what the Crown said was Al Bared describing his build process.
Ms Heeley said of the evidence found on an electronic device, which also included references to fuses, mechanical detonators and an "explosive" head: "He is literally reporting back to someone about what it is that he is doing.
"What drone for legitimate use needs an explosive head?
"What does need an explosive head is a drone that has been designed on a missile."
Al Bared's barrister, Alistair Webster KC, also made an opening speech, claiming his client had studied IS-linked material, including video of beheadings, because he wanted to "debate" against the terror group's views.
Mr Webster said: "He accepts that he is fascinated by Islamic State and its mindset, but rather than supporting it he wanted to argue against it, in the mosque, online."
But Al Bared was described by anti-terror officers as someone with an extremist mindset who intended to cause mass casualties.
Commenting on the investigation, Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Payne, the commander of the West Midlands Counter-Terrorism Unit, said of Al Bared: "He has built in his home address, using a 3D printer, a drone.
"He has then researched chemicals including sarin and ricin and mustard gas.
"It is our clear view that this man was very, very dangerous, that he was building something that was a weapon to be used to deliver chemicals to cause harm to people who didn't share his extremist views.
"This is clearly somebody who had a terrorist mindset."
DCS Payne said the inquiry had established that Al Bared - a "very, very intelligent" student - was planning to travel abroad to Turkey, and probably onwards.
"We also found an application form for Islamic State on his devices," the officer said.
"And that alongside all the other evidence that we had gives us a really clear picture of somebody who was intent on working with a terrorist organisation to cause mass harm, and probably fatalities to innocent people."
