Former UoB Student Jailed for Building ISIS Drone
A PhD student in Birmingham, England faces prison time after being found guilty of building a terrorist drone for the 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 a PhD at University of Birmingham the Coventry-based resident kept in touch with IS every week about the progress of IS’s single-use, drone.
A raid in January found the drone and a 3D printer in his room.
It’s believed the mechanical engineering student used a 3D printing device, found in the home he shared his parents with, to create some components. After a January raid, the drone and 3D-printer were discovered in his room. Police seized them along with other devices such as a laptop, phones and tablets.
According to West Midlands detectives, review of the seized devices revealed multiple conversations demonstrating al-Bared’s support for IS, alongside extremist material. The police also discovered that al-Bared completed an IS registration form and had registered a UK-registered firm to facilitate plans for 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.
You can also find out more about the following: Commander of the West Midlands counter-terrorism unit stated that Bared ‘clearly had a terrorist mindset’.
This man was a very, very dangerous person in our opinion.
Al-Bared claims that he did not make the drone to support IS, but rather for his own research. Bared denied being obsessed with IS despite reports to the contrary. He claimed he only studied it online to counter its goals.
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, who was completing his PhD at the University of Birmingham when he was arrested, has been suspended from his studies. 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 preparing terrorist acts in order to benefit an illegal terrorist organization.
Al-Bared remains in police custody until the 27th of July, when he is sentenced.Th November. He could face a sentence of life imprisonment.
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