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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| Soldier kidnap plotter given life | Soldier kidnap plotter given life |
| (10 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 of involvement. | |
| On Monday, a Leicester Crown Court jury cleared Amjad Mahmood, 32, from Birmingham, of knowing about the plan but failing to inform authorities. | 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. |
| 'Absolutely serious' | 'Absolutely serious' |
| The security services had placed a bug in Khan's Alum Rock home, and this provided much of the evidence in the case. | The security services had placed a bug in Khan's Alum Rock home, and this provided much of the evidence in the case. |
| Sentencing, Mr Justice Henriques said Khan had extreme Islamist views and was a fanatic. | Sentencing, Mr Justice Henriques said Khan had extreme Islamist views and was a fanatic. |
| "It's plain that you were absolutely serious and determined to bring this plot to fruition," he said. | "It's plain that you were absolutely serious and determined to bring this plot to fruition," he said. |
| 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." |
| Khan wanted to burn the soldier's body and parade his head on a stick, the court heard. | 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. | He was claiming benefits of more than £20,000 a year while he was organising the plot. |
| KIT SENT OVERSEAS Gloves for snipersRange findersCamping gearElectronics goods The jihadi and the plot | KIT SENT OVERSEAS Gloves for snipersRange findersCamping gearElectronics goods The jihadi and the plot |
| The court also heard that he indoctrinated his small child with hate, getting him to chant that he hated various figures, including Tony Blair and George Bush. | The court also heard that he indoctrinated his small child with hate, getting him to chant that he hated various figures, including Tony Blair and George Bush. |
| In November 2006 the security services recorded a conversation Khan had with co-defendant Basiru Gassama. | In November 2006 the security services recorded a conversation Khan had with co-defendant Basiru Gassama. |
| 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 (uncles, a term for Mujahideen leaders in Afghanistan or Pakistan). | "Then you put it on a stick. Then we throw the body, burn it, send the video to the chacha (uncles, a term for Mujahideen leaders in Afghanistan or 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?" |
| Khan explained the soldier would be befriended by drug dealers before being kidnapped in the city's Broad Street district. | Khan explained the soldier would be befriended by drug dealers before being kidnapped in the city's Broad Street district. |
| The jury was told that Khan had wanted Gassama, a Gambian national, to help identify the victim of the plot. | The jury was told that Khan had wanted Gassama, a Gambian national, to help identify the victim of the plot. |
| But when Gassama had failed to provide details of a target, the plan "lay dormant" after July 2006, Mr Rumfitt said, only to be revived in November 2006. | But when Gassama had failed to provide details of a target, the plan "lay dormant" after July 2006, Mr Rumfitt said, only to be revived in November 2006. |
| The court heard Khan was the hub of the cell which organised four shipments of equipment to armed groups based in Pakistan and operating against coalition forces in Afghanistan. | The court heard Khan was the hub of the cell which organised four shipments of equipment to armed groups based in Pakistan and operating against coalition forces in Afghanistan. |
| 'Fanaticism and fantasy' | 'Fanaticism and fantasy' |
| 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 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. |
| GUILTY MEN Clockwise from top left: Basiru GassamaZahoor IqbalHamid ElasmarMohammed Irfan The Birmingham cell | GUILTY MEN Clockwise from top left: Basiru GassamaZahoor IqbalHamid ElasmarMohammed Irfan The Birmingham cell |
| The officer who led the operation said Khan had been determined to carry out the plot, which he believed had been "at least supported" by al-Qaeda. | The officer who led the operation said Khan had been determined to carry out the plot, which he believed had been "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." | 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. | He would not say how far the plot was from being carried out when they intervened. |
| Khan's QC, Michael Wolkind, said in mitigation that his client's plot had been a "mixture of fanaticism and fantasy". | Khan's QC, Michael Wolkind, said in mitigation that his client's plot had been a "mixture of fanaticism and fantasy". |
| Referring to the covert monitoring of Khan, he said: "If there had been a genuine threat, the buggers would have stopped it much earlier. There was a long way to go." | Referring to the covert monitoring of Khan, he said: "If there had been a genuine threat, the buggers would have stopped it much earlier. There was a long way to go." |
| Media leaks | Media leaks |
| Mr Justice Henriques also criticised leaks which led to reports of the plot in the media shortly after the men's arrests, saying they constituted a "very grave contempt of court". | Mr Justice Henriques also criticised leaks which led to reports of the plot in the media shortly after the men's arrests, saying they constituted a "very grave contempt of court". |
| An inquiry by the Metropolitan Police failed to discover the source of the leaks. | An inquiry by the Metropolitan Police failed to discover the source of the leaks. |
| Gassama, 30, of Hodge Hill, Birmingham, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to a failure to disclose information about the plot. | 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. | Hamid Elasmar, 44, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, who was found guilty of the same charge, was jailed for three years and four months. |