Abu Bakr Mansha

On 22 December 2005 Abu Bakr Mansha, 21, of Thamesmead was convicted in a jury trial under the Terrorism Act 2000 of possessing information "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism". A police raid on his flat had found a blank-firing gun, which someone was trying to convert to fire live rounds, as well as DVDs containing "virulent anti-Western propaganda" relating to Osama bin Laden and the allied attack on the Iraqi city of Fallujah.

Also in his possession was a copy of a Sun newspaper article about Corporal Mark Byles, decorated British soldier, [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4553150.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Man convicted under Terrorism Act|date=22 December accessdate=2006-10-12] , as well as a piece of paper with the soldier's former address whom he was alleged to have been planning to hunt down and kill. [cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/23/nrevenge23.xml|date=23 December 2005|title=Muslim planned revenge attack on hero soldier|first=Duncan|last=Gardham|publisher|The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=2006-10-12]

During his trial his defence barrister described him as an "utter incompetent"cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5112388.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Terror raid intelligence denial|date=24 June 2006|accessdate=2006-10-12] with an IQ of 69. [cite web|url=http://www.spy.org.uk/spyblog/2006/06/abu_bakr_mansha_iq_69_is_claim.html|date=18 June 2006|title=Abu Bakr Mansha (IQ 69) is claimed to be the "reliable intelligence source" behind the bungled Operation Volga raid in Forest Gate|author=Spyblog|accessdate=2006-10-12] He was sentenced to six years in jail on 26 January 2006 in Southwark crown court by Judge Loraine-Smith. [cite web|url=http://www.globalnet.co.uk/news/news.asp?aid=15142595&cat=news|date=26 January 2006|title=Muslim jailed for targeting soldier|author=Adfero Ltd.|accessdate=2006-10-12]

In June 2006 there was a report alleging that he provided the tip-off from prison that triggered the 2 June 2006 Forest Gate raid, [cite news|url=http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/news/tm_objectid=17249190%26method=full%26siteid=62484-name_page.html|publisher=The Mirror|date=18 June 2006|title=Was MI6 Trigger for Bungled Terror Swoop a Prisoner with I.Q. of 69|first=Susie|last=Boniface|accessdate=2006-10-12] however his lawyer, Sara O'Keefe, denied he was responsible, although she confirmed that police had visited her client in prison and that he knew the two brothers involved. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5112388.stm|date=24 June 2006|title=Terror raid intelligence denial|accessdate=2006-10-12]

References