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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| 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. | 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. | 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, a Leicester Crown Court jury cleared Amjad Mahmood, 32, from Birmingham, of knowing about the plan but failing to inform authorities. | |
| Khan was told he would serve a minimum of 14 years. | Khan was told he would serve a minimum of 14 years. |
| 'Violent views' | |
| Sentencing, Mr Justice Henriques said: "You have been described by the Crown as a man who has the most violent and extreme Islamist views and as a fanatic. | |
| "Having studied over the last month [the covert recordings], I unhesitatingly accept that description of you. | |
| "It's plain that you were absolutely serious and determined to bring this plot to fruition." | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Then cut it off [the head] like you cut a pig, man Parviz Khan Read the bug transcript | Then cut it off [the head] like you cut a pig, man Parviz Khan Read the bug transcript |
| 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." |
| KIT SENT OVERSEAS Gloves for snipersRange findersCamping gearElectronics goods The jihadi and the beheading plot | KIT SENT OVERSEAS Gloves for snipersRange findersCamping gearElectronics goods The jihadi and the beheading plot |
| Khan wanted to burn the soldier's body and parade his head on a stick. | Khan wanted to burn the soldier's body and parade his head on a stick. |
| The court heard he was claiming benefits of more than £20,000 a year while he was organising the plot. | |
| The security services bugged Khan's home in Alum Rock, Birmingham, and in November 2006 recorded a conversation with co-defendant Basiru Gassma. | 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. | 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). | "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?" | "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' | 'Continuing danger' |
| Khan explained the soldier would be befriended by drug dealers before being kidnapped in the city's Broad Street district. | |
| GUILTY MEN Clockwise from top left: Basiru GassamaZahoor IqbalHamid ElasmirMohammed Irfan The Birmingham cell | GUILTY MEN Clockwise from top left: Basiru GassamaZahoor IqbalHamid ElasmirMohammed Irfan The Birmingham cell |
| The men were arrested in a series of high-profile raids in Birmingham at the end of January last year after an investigation led by West Midlands Police Counter-Terrorism Unit. | |
| The officer who led the anti-terror operation said Khan was determined to carry out the plot, which he believes was "at least supported" by al-Qaeda. | |
| Detective Superintendent Liam O'Brien said: "I strongly believe that if we hadn't taken action when we took it, we would be sitting here now talking about the kidnap and murder of a British soldier among other things." | |
| He would not say how far the plot was from being carried out when they intervened. | |
| 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. |
| He was jailed for two years. He will be released as he has already been in custody for 381 days, but it is recommended he is deported. | He was jailed for two years. He will be released as he has already been in custody for 381 days, but it is recommended he is deported. |
| Mohammed Irfan, 31, of Ward End, Birmingham and Zahoor Iqbal, 30, of Perry Barr, 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 Zahoor Iqbal, 30, of Perry Barr, 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. |
| Irfan was jailed for four years and Iqbal jailed for seven years. | Irfan was jailed for four years and Iqbal jailed for seven years. |
| Hamid Elasmar, 44, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, who was found guilty of the same charge, was jailed for three years and four months. |