Man behind Downing Street bomb plot jailed for life
2 min read
A man from north London who plotted to kill Theresa May has been jailed for life.
Twenty-one-year-old Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman had planned to bomb the gates of 10 Downing Street and then attack the prime minister with a knife or gun.
The man, who has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, was convicted of preparing acts of terrorism last month and has now been sentenced to a minimum term of 30 years in jail.
During sentencing, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said Mr Rahman “would have carried out his attack” had he not been arrested.
Mr Rahman’s plan was discovered by the FBI after he mistakenly contacted an undercover agent posing as an IS handler online.
He was then put in touch with an MI5 role-player who encouraged him to share his ideas.
Mr Rahman revealed to the agent that he wanted to “do a suicide bomb on parliament” and “attempt to kill Theresa May”.
He was arrested during a counter-terrorism operation involving the Metropolitan Police, MI5 and the FBI, after collecting a bag and jacket he believed had been fitted with real explosives from an undercover operative.
The judge added: “I am sure that at all material times Rahman believed the devices to be real and capable of causing serious harm.”
During Mr Rahman’s trial, it was revealed to a jury that he had first come to the attention of police after being arrested on suspicion of sending indecent images to underage girls. He was originally released without charge.
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