Student nurse ‘found with bomb outside hospital’ accused of plotting terror attack on RAF base
27 January 2023, 14:40
A man, 27, has appeared in court accused of planning a terrorist attack at a Royal Air Force base after he was allegedly found with a pressure cooker bomb outside a Leeds hospital where he worked.
It's alleged student nurse Mohammad Farooq was inspired by radical Islam and Jihad when he carried out "hostile reconnaissance" of the Yorkshire military base in January after research online.
Farooq, from Leeds, is said to have constructed a viable bomb made from a pressure cooker, 13.7 kilos of a homemade low explosive mixture and a length of pyrotechnic fuse.
Prosecutors say he chose the target because of online encouragement to carry out a "lone wolf" attack at the site.
He was arrested in the early hours of Friday 20, outside St James's University Hospital's maternity unit, where he had been due to work a shift.
He's said to have told a man he "felt like killing everyone" before showing him a gun, then told police officers he had a bomb.
His actions at the hospital are not alleged to have been motivated by terrorism but a grudge towards another member of staff.
He appeared via videolink at Westminster Magistrates' Court today from a police station in Bradford wearing a grey tracksuit.
Farooq spoke to confirm his name, address and date of birth but was not asked to enter pleas to the three charges he faces.
He's charged with one count of engaging in conduct with the intention of committing acts of terrorism between July 12 and last year and January 20.
He's also charged with possessing an explosive substance on January 20 with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, and faces a further count of possessing an imitation firearm: a Gediz 9mm PAK semi-automatic pistol; with intent to cause fear of violence on the same date.
There was no application for bail and Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring remanded him in custody ahead of his next appearance at the Old Bailey next Friday.
