‘Manipulative individual’ - Judge condemns Birmingham PhD student’s ISIS support

A university PhD student who made a 'Kamikaze' drone for Islamic State on a 3D printer in his bedroom has been jailed for life. Mohamad Al-Bared, 26 designed the deadly device with an explosive head which was capable of delivering a bomb or a chemical weapon over five miles.

A court heard the mechanical engineering graduate was inspired by Russian attacks in Ukraine and copied the design of a Tomahawk missile. The "committed terrorist" built the weapon at the home he shared with his parents in Coventry on a 3D printer and bought some of the components on eBay.

Police raided the property and found the device in his bedroom along with ISIS application forms and evidence "clearly demonstrating" his support for them. Al-Bared also researched and worked out how to get the drone into a war zone without being stopped by authorities. Jurors were told if his plans had been successful then 'multiple deaths' could have occurred.

He even set up a spoof food delivery company so he could pretend to be travelling on business and would send regular updates to the terror group so his ideas could be replicated. Officers also found notebooks detailing chemical equations and recipes for chemical weapons he claimed were for 'personal research'.

Al-Bared, who was studying for a PHD at the University of Birmingham, was found guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts after a five week trial. On Friday (December 22) he was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 20 years at Birmingham Crown Court.

'Manipulative individual'

Sentencing, Judge Paul Farrer KC said "You are a highly intelligent man with a degree in mechanical engineering from Coventry University and a masters qualification in chemical engineering from Warwick University.

"At some stage, and no later than early 2022, you concluded that Islamic state’s world view was correct, and you decided to lend your support to their terrorist agenda both here and abroad. Against that background, and no later than May 2022, you decided to join Islamic state and made contact with them.

"Over eight months you sought to use your expertise to develop a weapon which was intended for use by Islamic State to cause multiple deaths pursuant to Islamic State's agenda. Had you overcome your problems it is likely you would have designed a workable drone .

"You are a committed terrorist and I have no doubt you represent a danger to society. This was an offence of the utmost gravity. You hid true beliefs from those around you. You are a manipulative individual.

"You had conducted online research into drone weaponry, including searching for Kamikaze drones and I have no doubt that you intended to design a single use weapon with a range of five kilometres. It is clear you intended to provide your design to Islamic State so that they could use it to deliver a payload of either poisonous gas or explosives."

The judge said that both the prototypes he had designed were flawed but given sufficient time and resources he would have produced a workable long range drone. He said he had taken into account Al Bared's lack of previous convictions and that his autism may have played some part in his radicalisation.

What else whas said at court?

Michelle Heeley KC, prosecuting, had told the trial: "The drone had been designed to carry a pay load and had that been successful multiple deaths were likely to have been caused. There was contact with other extremists. He attempted to disguise his identity and used his parents eBay account to purchase drone material."

Alistair Webster KC, defending, said "The two drone experts called by the Crown were quite clear in their evidence, that for Drone A is concerned they could not say it was even flyable and as far as drone B it was in the early stages of development.

"So to say preparations were advanced would be pushing it too far. The evidence suggests he was doing this under directions. He did not have a viable delivery method at the time."

He said what was found at the defendant's home showed the "amateurish" nature of what he was doing. He added: "There was no evidence of anything delivering a pay load or attempting to procure explosives or manufacture explosives."

'A dangerous individual has been taken off our streets'

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.

“The 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.”