Britain:A British court sentenced a man described by police as a terrorist "sleeper" to nine years in jail yesterday for possessing a trove of al-Qaeda computer material, including documents on attacking nightclubs and airports.
The court recommended that Omar Altimimi (37), a failed asylum seeker living in Bolton in northern England whose precise identity police say they cannot determine, be deported after serving his sentence.
He was convicted in Manchester Crown Court of six charges of possessing material for the purpose of terrorism and two money-laundering charges.
The head of the anti-terrorism unit for Greater Manchester Police described Altimimi as "a 'sleeper' remaining in the shadows, waiting and preparing for action".
"We will never know exactly what Altimimi was preparing to do but it was clear he had support and links with terrorists across the world," Det Chief Supt Tony Porter added.
"[ He] used his wife and children in a bid to blend into the community, appearing as an ordinary family. But behind closed doors he was downloading shocking videos of executions, bomb-making recipes and information on how to establish a terrorist cell," Det Porter said.
Greater Manchester Police said they found a trove of terrorist material on Altimimi's computer, much of it downloaded from a "secret, password-protected al-Qaeda internet site".
Among the documents were bomb-making plans and lists of potential targets, such as nightclubs and airports, although there was no suggestion Altimimi was linked to failed attacks on a London nightclub and Glasgow airport last week.
He was arrested along with another man, Yusuf Abdullah (30), who has since pleaded guilty to acquiring criminal property after more than $50,000 (€37,000) was wired to his account from Yemen.
Australian police holding an Indian doctor suspected of links with the plot to explode car bombs in London and Glasgow raided two hospitals yesterday and expanded their inquiry to at least five more doctors.
Four of the doctors, also from India, had been interviewed and released, while another Indian doctor was also under investigation, federal police commissioner Mick Keelty said.
"It is quite a complex investigation and the links to the UK are becoming more concrete," Mr Keelty told reporters.
- (Reuters)