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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Soldier kidnap plotter given life | Soldier kidnap plotter given life |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A man who planned to kill a Muslim soldier serving in the British Army has been jailed for life. | |
| Parviz Khan, 37, from Birmingham, admitted the plot and to supplying equipment to the Taleban last month. | |
| He planned to snatch the serviceman and decapitate him. Four others have also been found guilty over the plot. | He planned to snatch the serviceman and decapitate him. Four others have also been found guilty over the plot. |
| On Monday, Leicester Crown Court cleared Amjad Mahmood, 32, of Birmingham, of knowing about the plan but failing to inform authorities. | On Monday, Leicester Crown Court cleared Amjad Mahmood, 32, of Birmingham, of knowing about the plan but failing to inform authorities. |
| 'Panic and fear' | |
| Khan was told he would serve a minimum of 14 years. | |
| The court heard Khan was at the centre of a Birmingham-based cell which had organised four shipments of equipment to armed groups based in Pakistan and operating against coalition forces in Afghanistan. | |
| Prosecutor Nigel Rumfitt QC told the court Khan was "enraged" by the notion of Muslim soldiers in the British Army. | Prosecutor Nigel Rumfitt QC told the court Khan was "enraged" by the notion of Muslim soldiers in the British Army. |
| Mr Rumfitt said: "Khan decided to kidnap such a soldier with the help of drug dealers operating in Birmingham. He would be taken to a lock-up garage and there he would be murdered by having his head cut off like a pig. | Mr Rumfitt said: "Khan decided to kidnap such a soldier with the help of drug dealers operating in Birmingham. He would be taken to a lock-up garage and there he would be murdered by having his head cut off like a pig. |
| "This would be filmed - they would have the soldier's ID to prove who he was and the film would be released through Khan's terrorist network to cause panic and fear with the British armed forces and the wider public." | "This would be filmed - they would have the soldier's ID to prove who he was and the film would be released through Khan's terrorist network to cause panic and fear with the British armed forces and the wider public." |
| Then cut it off [the head] like you cut a pig, man Parviz Khan | |
| Khan wanted to burn the soldier's body and parade his head on a stick. | |
| The security services bugged Khan's home in Alum Rock, Birmingham, and in November 2006 recorded a conversation with co-defendant Basiru Gassma. | |
| Khan was heard outlining his plan: "We give the judgment... well then cut it off like you cut a pig, man. | |
| "Then you put it on a stick. Then we throw the body, burn it, send the video to the chacha (a reference to terrorist leaders in Pakistan). | |
| "This is what they call you will terrorise them, they will go crazy. They will start searching... London, Birmingham, Newcastle, where are these people?" | |
| 'Continuing danger' | |
| Khan explained the soldier would be befriended before being kidnapped. | |
| He was heard to say: "All I say to you is set it up ... drug dealers they will go with him, one day, they do deal. | |
| "Then the next time you'll take him Broad Street, wine and dine and girl and things. After that they don't get friendly." | |
| Basiru Gassama, 30, of Hodge Hill, Birmingham, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to a failure to disclose information about the plot. | Basiru Gassama, 30, of Hodge Hill, Birmingham, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to a failure to disclose information about the plot. |
| Mohammed Irfan, 31, of Ward End, Birmingham, and Hamid Elasmar, 44, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, both pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct with the intention of assisting in the commission of acts of terrorism - namely helping Khan to supply the equipment. | Mohammed Irfan, 31, of Ward End, Birmingham, and Hamid Elasmar, 44, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, both pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct with the intention of assisting in the commission of acts of terrorism - namely helping Khan to supply the equipment. |
| Zahoor Iqbal, 30, of Perry Barr, Birmingham, was found guilty of the same charge. | Zahoor Iqbal, 30, of Perry Barr, Birmingham, was found guilty of the same charge. |