A PhD engineering student who built a ‘kamikaze’ drone in the hopes it would deliver chemical weapons for Isis was jailed for life on DEcember 22nd. Mohamed Al Bared, 27, used a 3D printer in his bedroom to put together a prototype of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
The terror group was so impressed by the student’s work that it shared one of his videos in a propaganda film on the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
A judge at Birmingham Crown Court jailed Al Bared, of Kare Road, Coventry, for life and ordered him to serve a minimum of 20 years behind bars. He was found guilty in September after jurors deliberated for around six hours over two days before unanimously convicting Al Bared.
The mechanical and chemical engineering graduate was found guilty of a single count of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts to benefit a proscribed terrorist organisation.
Passing sentence, Judge Paul Farrer KC said Al Bared, who previously studied at Coventry University and the University of Warwick, had decided to lend his support to the ‘terrorist agenda’ of IS.
Mohamad Al-Bared
PhD student Al Bared, who also studied at the University of Birmingham and specialised in laser drilling, had contacted IS through an online messaging service and began to construct a drone in July 2022. Al Bared had denied supporting IS, despite the device being found in a bedroom at his Coventry home along with a 3D printer capable of making parts for it.
Prosecutors told the court the single-use weapon that had a range of up to 5km (3 miles) was designed to deliver a chemical weapon or some other kind of device in IS enemy territory.
Observing that the design of the drone was “at best suspect and at worse fundamentally flawed”, the judge said “this was a work in progress”.
The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a mobile phone were seized when Al Bared was arrested in January this year, leading to the discovery of encrypted online chats and other digital material, which exposed his support for IS. The court heard he intended to develop a video-transmitting fixed-wing drone for terrorist purposes, before travelling to West Africa via Turkey.
Written material saying the idea for the drone was “somewhat inspired by the design of the Tomahawk missile” was put before jurors, in what the prosecution said was Al Bared describing his build process.
Judge Farrer said:
‘I have no doubt that you intended your design to be used as a single-use weapon with a range of up to five kilometres. Your preparations were undertaken with a view to endangering multiple lives.’
Observing that the design of the drone was ‘at best suspect and at worse fundamentally flawed’, the judge added:
‘This was a work in progress. You are a manipulative individual. You are a committed extremist. I have no doubt that you are still today a supporter of Islamic State.
‘It is impossible to say whether you will ever surrender your extremist views. You are a dangerous offender from whom the public requires protection.
‘The seriousness of the offending justifies a sentence of life imprisonment.’
Commenting after the case, Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said:
‘Mohamad Al Bared built a drone with the sole purpose of supplying ISIS with the means to cause horror and destruction. This sentence means that a highly dangerous individual has been taken off the streets. The CPS will always work with the police to prosecute those who carry out such terrorism activities in order to keep communities safe.’
Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Payne, head of Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands, said:
‘Al-Bared was a calculated individual and coupled with his education and expertise in mechanical and chemical engineering he was clearly very dangerous. He has made a purpose-built drone able to carry explosives or chemicals to be used as a weapon in a war zone, thankfully he was unable to continue his efforts following his swift arrest earlier this year.
The jury heard how security conscious he was going to great lengths to try to hide anything that might lead to his identification. Today’s sentence means a dangerous individual has been taken off our streets, there is no place in our society for individuals intent on participating in terrorism activity.
‘We will continue to work with partners and the CPS to protect our communities by pursuing and prosecuting such individuals. We work tirelessly to counter terrorism. Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety and security of the people who live, work and visit the West Midlands area.’
‘Not Suited to Prison’
Before sentence was passed Al Bared’s barrister, Alistair Webster KC, applied unsuccessfully for the case to be adjourned for further consideration of psychiatric reports.
“He is not a person suited to being in prison,” Mr Webster said. “He is in a highly agitated state about the way things have gone.
“He finds the nature of some of the other prisoners extremely challenging.”
Source: BBC; Mail Online