Yahoo News Student nurse ‘found with bomb’ outside Leeds hospital ‘planned terror attack on RAF base’
A student nurse allegedly found with a pressure cooker bomb outside the maternity ward of a Leeds hospital was “planning a terrorist attack at an RAF base”, a court heard.
Mohammad Farooq, 27, was allegedly inspired by radical Islam when he carried out “hostile reconnaissance” of the military base in Yorkshire in January.
He is said to have constructed a viable bomb made from a pressure cooker, 13.7kg of a home-made 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.
Farooq is said to have told a man he “felt like killing everyone” before showing him a gun, then told police officers he had a bomb.
No application for bail
His actions at St James’s Hospital hospital are not alleged to have been motivated by terrorism but a grudge towards another member of staff.
Farooq was arrested outside the hospital in Leeds last Friday, when he had been due to work a shift. He was allegedly in possession of the explosive device and an imitation firearm – a Gediz 9mm P.A.K semi-automatic pistol.
Farooq, from Leeds, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday from a police station in Bradford, wearing a grey tracksuit.
He did not enter pleas to charges of engaging in conduct in preparation of an act of terrorism, possessing an imitation firearm and possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property.
There was no application for bail and Paul Goldspring, the Chief Magistrate, remanded him in custody ahead of his next appearance at the Old Bailey next Friday.
