Bomb double the size of US marathon device - court

Mohammad Farooq denies preparing acts of terrorism

A man accused of trying to detonate a bomb outside a hospital estimated it was "double the size" of a device used in a US marathon attack, a court heard.

Mohammad Farooq, 28, is accused of targeting St James's Hospital in Leeds, where he worked, on 20 January 2023.

He denies preparing acts of terrorism, but has pleaded guilty to firearms offences and possessing an explosive substance with intent.

Mr Farooq also pleaded guilty to having a document likely to be useful to a person preparing or committing an act of terrorism.

On Wednesday, Sheffield Crown Court heard transcripts from his interviews with police following his arrest.

Asked about the power of the pressure cooker bomb, which Mr Farooq said contained about 7kg of gunpowder, he told officers it could "blow [up] a room".

"It should have been double the size of the Boston Marathon bomb," he added.

Three people were killed and more than 280 others left injured during the 2013 attack in Massachusetts.

Mr Farooq, a clinical support worker, told officers he was not known to police and described the plot as "a lone job".

'A bit of revenge'

He did not offer a reply when asked if he was in touch with any terrorist groups, the jury heard, but later said he "definitely" wasn't a terrorist.

Mr Farooq said his motive had been to scare his colleagues and accused them of "bullying" him.

"This has been building up for about one year now," he said.

"There's only so much a person can take."

Mr Farooq sent a text to a manager warning about the bomb in order to "scare them" and "get a bit of revenge".

"I wasn't going to hurt nobody," he told officers.

"Just to see the look of fear in their faces, that's all."

He told the interview: "I look after patients, that's my job, I don't want to hurt more people and send them to hospital.

"If I wanted to kill people I would have."

Mr Farooq told officers he assembled the bomb at night in a car park near Roundhay Park.

He said he was approached by police on patrol, but they did not search his vehicle.

Mr Farooq previously worked at St James's Hospital in Leeds

The defendant told police he was "angry", claiming he had been bullied at school and had no friends.

Mr Farooq said a patient at the hospital, Nathan Newby, had told him the plot "wasn't worth it" after striking up a conversation with him.

"That's why I told him to ring the police," Mr Farooq added.

"As soon as I started talking to him [the anger] just went away. I wish I had met him sooner."

The court heard Mr Farooq had been in possession of a series of components required to make a bomb.

Det Con Maisie Stevens, of West Yorkshire Police, said gunpower, a blank-firing gun, nails and two knives were among the items found in his possession when arrested, with further weapons found at his home on Hetton Road in Leeds.

Officers also found explosive ingredients and "numerous fuses" in the property, the court heard.

The trial continues.

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