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Man jailed over terrorism charges | Man jailed over terrorism charges |
(19 minutes later) | |
A man in e-mail contact with so-called "lyrical terrorist" Samina Malik has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years after admitting three terror charges. | A man in e-mail contact with so-called "lyrical terrorist" Samina Malik has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years after admitting three terror charges. |
Sohail Qureshi, 30, of east London, was arrested in October 2006 as he prepared to board a Pakistan flight at Heathrow. | Sohail Qureshi, 30, of east London, was arrested in October 2006 as he prepared to board a Pakistan flight at Heathrow. |
The Old Bailey heard he planned to take military-style equipment on board. | |
Qureshi contacted Malik, who worked at Heathrow and posted pro-Islamist poems on the internet, asking about airport security checks, the court heard. | |
'Revenge' message | 'Revenge' message |
Malik, a WH Smith employee, was given a suspended jail sentence in November 2007 after being convicted of storing a library of material for terrorism. | |
Sohail Qureshi is a dedicated supporter of Islamist extremism Jonathan SharpProsecution | |
Prosecutor Jonathan Sharp told the court Qureshi had planned a "two to three-week operation" in either Pakistan, Afghanistan or Pakistan's Waziristan region after he landed in Islamabad. | Prosecutor Jonathan Sharp told the court Qureshi had planned a "two to three-week operation" in either Pakistan, Afghanistan or Pakistan's Waziristan region after he landed in Islamabad. |
He was arrested at Heathrow with £9,000 in cash, a night-sight, two metal batons and a computer hard drive, Mr Sharp added. | |
The court had also been told that Qureshi intended to take two sleeping bags, two rucksacks, medical supplies and CD-Roms on board the flight in October 2006. | |
Mr Sharp added: "Sohail Qureshi is a dedicated supporter of Islamist extremism." | Mr Sharp added: "Sohail Qureshi is a dedicated supporter of Islamist extremism." |
Samina Malik was the first woman convicted under the Terrorism Act | |
Internet traffic intercepted by police which was presented to the court revealed that Qureshi had written: "Pray that I kill many, brother. Revenge, revenge, revenge." | |
Qureshi - a dental technician, originally from Pakistan - was arrested on 18 October 2006 as he prepared to board a flight to Islamabad from Heathrow, Mr Sharp said. | |
He had been preparing with a jihadist group, the prosecution added. | |
In an e-mail to Malik, Qureshi asked: "What's the system like at work? Is the checking still very harsh or have things calmed down a bit?" | |
He had been followed airside at Heathrow by counter-terrorism officers who found him carrying the cash - £1,150 in a wallet and £7,590 in six envelopes. | |
'Terrorist operations' | |
Qureshi admitted preparing for terrorism under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 - making him the first person to be convicted of new laws against planning terrorism. | |
He also plead guilty to possessing articles for terrorist purposes and articles likely to be useful to a terrorist. | |
Judge Brian Barker, the Common Serjeant of London, told Qureshi these were "grave charges". | |
He added: "You were ready for terrorist operations overseas but there is no specific indication of what they are or where they might be." |