UK: Bungling British suicide bomber lacked cunning, court hears
22 Nov 2008 2:26 AM
LONDON, Nov 21 AFP - A Muslim convert who suffered serious facial injuries in a botched suicide bombing in England is the "least cunning" person toever have been charged with terrorism, a British court has heard.
The attempted suicide bombing by Nicky Reilly, 22, failed because the homemade device went off in his hands as he tried to assemble it in a toilet cubicle at the Giraffe restaurant in Exeter on May 22.
He pleaded guilty to attempted murder and preparing an act of terrorism last month, and will be sentenced on January 30.
Arguing that the court should delay sentencing until October next year, Reilly's lawyer Kerim Fuad told London's Old Bailey court on Friday that the defendant was "not sophisticated in the slightest in any aspect of his life".
"He may well be the least cunning person ever to have come before this court for any offence of this magnitude, for terrorism."
Fuad continued: "I do not want to diminish the sheer horror of this defendant's actions.
"Innocent people could have been injured, maimed or killed. It may be a mixture of sheer good fortune and the defendant's incompetence that the damagewas restricted."
Reilly had learnt how to make a bomb on the internet using caustic soda, paraffin and nails.
He was arrested after staggering out of the lavatory with serious facial injuries.
According to police, there were 24 customers and 11 members of staff in therestaurant when Reilly attempted to set off the explosion.
Britain has faced heightened security since the 2005 suicide attacks on theLondon transport that killed 56 people including the four bombers, and twofailed car bombings in London and Glasgow in June 2007.
AFP apm =0A
LONDON, Nov 21 AFP - A Muslim convert who suffered serious facial injuries in a botched suicide bombing in England is the "least cunning" person toever have been charged with terrorism, a British court has heard.
The attempted suicide bombing by Nicky Reilly, 22, failed because the homemade device went off in his hands as he tried to assemble it in a toilet cubicle at the Giraffe restaurant in Exeter on May 22.
He pleaded guilty to attempted murder and preparing an act of terrorism last month, and will be sentenced on January 30.
Arguing that the court should delay sentencing until October next year, Reilly's lawyer Kerim Fuad told London's Old Bailey court on Friday that the defendant was "not sophisticated in the slightest in any aspect of his life".
"He may well be the least cunning person ever to have come before this court for any offence of this magnitude, for terrorism."
Fuad continued: "I do not want to diminish the sheer horror of this defendant's actions.
"Innocent people could have been injured, maimed or killed. It may be a mixture of sheer good fortune and the defendant's incompetence that the damagewas restricted."
Reilly had learnt how to make a bomb on the internet using caustic soda, paraffin and nails.
He was arrested after staggering out of the lavatory with serious facial injuries.
According to police, there were 24 customers and 11 members of staff in therestaurant when Reilly attempted to set off the explosion.
Britain has faced heightened security since the 2005 suicide attacks on theLondon transport that killed 56 people including the four bombers, and twofailed car bombings in London and Glasgow in June 2007.
AFP apm =0A