A PhD student from the University of Birmingham faces jail time for building a drone to be used by terrorist group Islamic State.
Mohammed al-Bared (26), a Coventry resident, designed the drone to be able to deliver explosives or chemical weapons in enemy territory. While studying for his PhD in Birmingham, Coventry-based resident Mohammed al-Bared was in regular communication with IS about the progress of IS’s single use drone.
A raid in January found the drone and 3D-printer in his room.
The mechanical engineering graduate is thought to have used a 3D-printer, which was found in the house that he shared with parents, to build some components. In January, a property raid led to the discovery of the drone and 3D-printer in his bedroom. The drone and 3D printer were confiscated by the police along with several other devices, including a laptop and phones.
According to West Midlands detectives, review of the seized devices revealed multiple conversations demonstrating al-Bared’s support for IS, alongside extremist material. Al-Bared also completed an IS application and set up a UK-registered business to help plan future international travel.
“It is our clear view that this man was very, very dangerous, that he was building something that was a weapon to be used to deliver chemicals to cause harm to people who didn’t share his extremist views,” said DCS Mark Payne, as reported in the Guardian.
It is important to note that the word “you” means “you”. Commander of West Midlands counter-terrorism unit stated that Bared ‘clearly had a terrorist mindset’.
This man was a very dangerous person in our opinion.
Al-Bared says he is not an IS supporter and that he built the drone as part of his research. Bared, despite reports that he was obsessed with IS claims to have only studied the terrorist group online to argue against their aims.
Evidence presented in court showed al-Bared had researched chemicals such as sarin, ricin, and mustard gas, as well as material on electronic devices, detonators and an ‘explosive head’ for his drone. It was stressed that the detailed chemical equations found in his notebooks were not part of al-Bared’s university studies, and were intended to aid the construction of the ‘kamikaze’ drone.
Al-Bared’s PhD program at the University of Birmingham was suspended following his arrest. A University of Birmingham spokesperson stated the university continued to support authorities throughout the investigation, and have been ‘assured by police’ that there ‘was no threat or risk to University staff, students or the wider community.’
Al-Bared’s conviction was announced on September 28th, after a five-week long trial at Birmingham Crown Court.Th. He was convicted on a single charge of engaging in conduct to prepare for terrorist acts in order to benefit an illegal terrorist organization.
Al-Bared remains in police custody until his sentence on 27Th November. He could be facing a life-long sentence.
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