18/02/2008
Life Sentence For Soldier Kidnap Plotter
A man who plotted to kidnap and behead a British Muslim serving in the British Army has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Parviz Khan, 37, from Birmingham - who pleaded guilty to the plot, possessing a record or document likely to be of use to a terrorist and supplying equipment to terrorists in Pakistan last month - was told that he would have to serve a minimum of 14 years.
During the trial at Leicester Crown Court, prosecutor Nigel Rumfitt QC said that Khan was at the centre of a terrorist cell based in Birmingham, which had organised four shipments of equipment to terrorists based in Pakistan and operating against coalition forces in Afghanistan.
Mr Rumfitt said that Khan was "enraged" by the notion of Muslims serving in the British Army and told the court: "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 wide public."
Khan had also wanted to burn the soldier's body and parade his head on a stick."
The court also heard how he had claimed benefits totalling more than £20,000 a year, while he was planning the kidnap and execution.
Four other men have also been jailed in connection with the plot.
Basiru Gassama, 30, from Hodge Hill in Birmingham pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to a failure to disclose information about the plot and was jailed for two years.
However, he will be released as he has already been in custody for 381 days and it has been recommended that he be deported.
Mohammed Irfan, 31, from Ward End in Birmingham and Hamid Elasmar, 44, from Edgebaston, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct with the intent of assisting in the commission of acts of terrorism. Irfan was jailed for four years, while Elasmar was jailed for three years and four months.
Zahoor Iqbal, 30, from Perry Barr in Birmingham, was found guilty of the same charge and was sentenced to seven years.
A sixth man, Amjad Mahmood, 32, and also from Birmingham, was found not guilty of three charges.
(KMcA)
Parviz Khan, 37, from Birmingham - who pleaded guilty to the plot, possessing a record or document likely to be of use to a terrorist and supplying equipment to terrorists in Pakistan last month - was told that he would have to serve a minimum of 14 years.
During the trial at Leicester Crown Court, prosecutor Nigel Rumfitt QC said that Khan was at the centre of a terrorist cell based in Birmingham, which had organised four shipments of equipment to terrorists based in Pakistan and operating against coalition forces in Afghanistan.
Mr Rumfitt said that Khan was "enraged" by the notion of Muslims serving in the British Army and told the court: "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 wide public."
Khan had also wanted to burn the soldier's body and parade his head on a stick."
The court also heard how he had claimed benefits totalling more than £20,000 a year, while he was planning the kidnap and execution.
Four other men have also been jailed in connection with the plot.
Basiru Gassama, 30, from Hodge Hill in Birmingham pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to a failure to disclose information about the plot and was jailed for two years.
However, he will be released as he has already been in custody for 381 days and it has been recommended that he be deported.
Mohammed Irfan, 31, from Ward End in Birmingham and Hamid Elasmar, 44, from Edgebaston, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct with the intent of assisting in the commission of acts of terrorism. Irfan was jailed for four years, while Elasmar was jailed for three years and four months.
Zahoor Iqbal, 30, from Perry Barr in Birmingham, was found guilty of the same charge and was sentenced to seven years.
A sixth man, Amjad Mahmood, 32, and also from Birmingham, was found not guilty of three charges.
(KMcA)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
08 June 2006
Sentence increased for baby rapist
A man who raped a 12-week-old baby girl has had his minimum jail term increased from six years to eight years by the Court of Appeal.
Sentence increased for baby rapist
A man who raped a 12-week-old baby girl has had his minimum jail term increased from six years to eight years by the Court of Appeal.
18 September 2015
Ten Arrested In Drug Raids
Nine men and one woman have been arrested in a series of police raids across Birmingham, Solihull and Smethwick. Police carried out the raids early on Thursday morning making ten arrests on suspicion of conspiring to supply dangerous class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine.
Ten Arrested In Drug Raids
Nine men and one woman have been arrested in a series of police raids across Birmingham, Solihull and Smethwick. Police carried out the raids early on Thursday morning making ten arrests on suspicion of conspiring to supply dangerous class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine.
25 February 2013
Rail Firm And Signalman Guilty In Signal Crossing Crash
Both Newtwork Rail and a railway signalman have been found guilty of failing to ensure the safety of a woman who was killed at a level crossing. Jane Harding, 52, died when the car she was in was hit by a train at Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire, in 2010.
Rail Firm And Signalman Guilty In Signal Crossing Crash
Both Newtwork Rail and a railway signalman have been found guilty of failing to ensure the safety of a woman who was killed at a level crossing. Jane Harding, 52, died when the car she was in was hit by a train at Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire, in 2010.
30 October 2012
4G Launches In The UK
4G mobile internet has been launched across 11 UK cities today. Phone owners in London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow and Southampton on the EE network will have access to 4G, meaning they can surf the web up to five times faster than 3G.
4G Launches In The UK
4G mobile internet has been launched across 11 UK cities today. Phone owners in London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow and Southampton on the EE network will have access to 4G, meaning they can surf the web up to five times faster than 3G.
14 March 2012
Week Of Action Planned Over Education Changes
A national day of action to protest against changes to higher education is to be staged by students in England. The National Union of Students (NUS) says lectures will be boycotted as students join rallies, marches, petition signings and other events.
Week Of Action Planned Over Education Changes
A national day of action to protest against changes to higher education is to be staged by students in England. The National Union of Students (NUS) says lectures will be boycotted as students join rallies, marches, petition signings and other events.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
