Terror bomb charge Syrian jailed

A Syrian immigrant has been jailed for seven years for attempting to make bombs at his home for use in terror attacks.

Syrian immigrant Hassan Tabbakh was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court after a jury took around five-and-a-half hours to unanimously convict the 38-year-old of a single charge brought under the Terrorism Act.

A two-week trial was told that Tabbakh, of Camelot Way, Small Heath, Birmingham, who had arrived in Britain in either 1999 or 2000, was arrested last December.

Police found three bottles of liquid chemicals with hand-written notes at Tabbakh's home. He claimed to be making fireworks for a religious festival.

After the verdict was returned, it emerged that Tabbakh was given indefinite leave to remain in the UK in 2005 after lodging an application for asylum.

The former chemistry student, who claims to have been tortured in his homeland, denied a single charge - preparation of acts of terrorism - under Section 5 of the 2006 Terrorism Act.

Prosecutor Max Hill QC told the jury at the start of the trial that the evidence against Tabbakh was straightforward and compelling.

Mr Hill said police found numerous items following Tabbakh's arrest on December 18 last year which showed that he was preparing to wage "al-Qaeda-style" jihad.

Among the items which proved that Tabbakh had a vibrant interest in Islamic extremism were his music and computer files, which included speeches by Osama bin Laden and the former leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Tabbakh will be sentenced by the Recorder of Birmingham, Judge Frank Chapman, later.

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