Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Teenage Parsons Green Tube bomber jailed for life

An 18-year-old Iraqi asylum seeker was today sentenced to life imprisonment for placing a bomb on a London underground train which partially exploded, injuring 51 people last year.

Ahmed Hassan was directed to serve a minimum of 34 years behind bars before being considered for parole at the end of a murder trial at the Old Bailey court in London.


The court was told that Hassan blamed the UK for his father's death in Iraq and was "disappointed" when the bomb only partly detonated in a huge fireball.

"Your intention that morning was to kill as many members of the British public as possible by planting the IED [improvised explosive device] on a busy commuter Tube train," said Justice Haddon-Cave during the hearing.

He said Hassan planned his attack with "ruthless determination and almost military efficiency while pretending to be a model asylum seeker".

"You will have plenty of time to study the Quran in Prison... the Quran is a book of peace... Islam forbids breaking the law of the land... Islam forbids terror," the judge added.

Prosecutors at the sentencing hearing said there would have been "serious harm, if not fatality" if the bomb, packed with 2-kilogramme of screwdrivers, knives, nuts and bolts, had fully detonated.

Hassan built his bomb at the home of his foster parents in Sunbury-on-Thames while they were away.

On the morning of September 15, he took a westbound District Line train from Wimbledon, getting off one stop before Parsons Green.

His device, which had a timer and was placed in a supermarket plastic bag, was left on the floor of the carriage. He was arrested the following morning at Dover, trying the flee the country.

During his asylum application a few years ago, the teenager told UK Home Office officials, that he had been trained to kill by the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist network, but denied being sent to the UK as a sleeper terrorist.

Hassan had been referred to the government's anti-radicalisation Prevent programme, who believed he was engaging with them.

Hassan's foster parents, Penny and Ron Jones, accused the authorities of failing to warn them to look out for signs of radicalisation.

More For You

Three Killed in Tragic Car Crash on M5 in Gloucestershire

The motorway was closed in both directions between junctions 13 and 14 on Saturday

Traffic- England

3 dead after car crash on M5 in Gloucestershire

Two adults and a teenager have died following a serious crash on the M5 motorway in south Gloucestershire on Friday evening (30 May).

The incident occurred at around 9pm when a white BMW left the northbound carriageway between junction 14 and Michaelwood services in a single-vehicle collision. A second child, who was also in the car, sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK Disposable Vape Ban Sparks Fire Safety Warnings Over Stockpiling

Disposable vapes are currently the most commonly used devices among underage users

Getty Images

UK disposable vapes ban sparks fire safety warnings over stockpiling

Vapers in the UK have been warned not to stockpile single-use e-cigarettes ahead of a nationwide ban coming into effect this Sunday, as the devices pose a significant fire hazard if not stored correctly.

The Local Government Association (LGA) issued the warning in response to concerns that many consumers are hoarding disposable vapes before the ban begins. Under the new regulations, retailers will be prohibited from selling single-use vapes from Sunday, and businesses that fail to comply face penalties.

Keep ReadingShow less
IndiGo

IndiGo, a USD 10 billion-revenue company, operates over 2,300 flights daily with a fleet of more than 430 aircraft. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

IndiGo to launch direct flights to London, Athens, and 8 other international cities

INDIGO will begin direct flights to 10 international destinations, including London and Athens, in the current financial year, CEO Pieter Elbers said on Friday.

Other destinations include Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Manchester (the UK), Copenhagen (Denmark), Siem Reap (Cambodia) and four cities in Central Asia.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump-Getty

'It was getting very bad. It was getting very nasty. They are both nuclear powers,' Trump said. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Trump says he’s proud trade deal stopped nuclear war between India and Pakistan

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has said that the “deal” he is most proud of is his effort to stop a “potentially a nuclear war” between India and Pakistan through trade instead of through “bullets.”

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly claimed that he told India and Pakistan that the US would stop trade with both countries if they did not stop the conflict.

Keep ReadingShow less
WWF: UK Saltmarshes Crucial for Carbon Storage and Coastal Protection

Estimates say that 85% of the UK marshes have been lost since the mid 19th century

Getty Images

Saltmarshes key to UK climate goals, says WWF report

The UK’s saltmarshes are vital allies in protecting climate-warming greenhouse gases stored in the soil, according to a report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in partnership with insurance company Aviva.

These habitats provide a refuge for wildlife, capture carbon, and help manage floods naturally by slowing the movement of seawater inland.

Keep ReadingShow less