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| Man jailed for bid to make bombs | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to make bombs for terrorist attacks. | |
| Police found liquid chemicals and notes written in Arabic at the Birmingham home of Syria-born Hassan Tabbakh, 38, following his arrest in December 2007. | Police found liquid chemicals and notes written in Arabic at the Birmingham home of Syria-born Hassan Tabbakh, 38, following his arrest in December 2007. |
| The jury also heard that speeches by al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden were found on the defendant's MP3 player. | The jury also heard that speeches by al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden were found on the defendant's MP3 player. |
| Tabbakh denied the charge at Birmingham Crown Court, saying he was making fireworks for a religious festival. | Tabbakh denied the charge at Birmingham Crown Court, saying he was making fireworks for a religious festival. |
| He faced a single charge of obtaining chemicals and compiling and retaining a document with instructions for making an explosive device. | He faced a single charge of obtaining chemicals and compiling and retaining a document with instructions for making an explosive device. |
| Tabbakh, of Small Heath, claimed he was considering starting up a fireworks business, although he said that he did not have a licence. | Tabbakh, of Small Heath, claimed he was considering starting up a fireworks business, although he said that he did not have a licence. |
| The court also heard that a USB memory stick and the defendant's home PC contained links to computer sites showing terrorist attacks on coalition vehicle convoys in either Afghanistan or Iraq. | The court also heard that a USB memory stick and the defendant's home PC contained links to computer sites showing terrorist attacks on coalition vehicle convoys in either Afghanistan or Iraq. |
| Prosecutor Max Hill QC said that Tabbakh was "caught in the process of a practical attempt to create improvised explosive devices". | Prosecutor Max Hill QC said that Tabbakh was "caught in the process of a practical attempt to create improvised explosive devices". |
| "Because he was caught in the act, it follows that the defendant had not completed his task, so the bombs were not finally constructed," Mr Hill said. | "Because he was caught in the act, it follows that the defendant had not completed his task, so the bombs were not finally constructed," Mr Hill said. |
| "Neither the written instructions nor the bomb mixtures had reached their destination - when or where the bombs were going to be used is not known. | |