Nurse student accused of attempting to blow up maternity hospital – Suspicion of Islamic terrorism

On Friday, the young man appeared before an English court for the first time as he was charged with attempting to blow up a hospital in the north of England.

The suspect, a nursing student named Mohammad Farouk, allegedly planned to use a homemade pressure cooker bomb in the maternity ward of St. James University Hospital, where he worked.

According to the Associated Press, Farouk faces several charges, including plotting a terrorist attack, possession of an explosive and possession of a fake firearm.

Prosecutors said the student was motivated by Islamic extremism.

Farouk was arrested on 20 January near the St. James Maternity Hospital in Leeds. According to the AP, he apparently harbored a grudge against his colleague.

According to The Telegraph, Farouk was arrested after it became known that he was “behaving suspiciously” near the station, prompting the authorities to evacuate parts of the hospital and call in an army sapper team.

After being taken into custody, investigators said they found that Farouk also potentially intended to attack a nearby RAF base.

Police ‘attack tinfoil bomb on Leeds maternity ward’: 27-year-old man ‘armed with a pistol and a capable explosive device’ is arrested outside world-famous Jimmy’s Hospital on suspicion of terrorist crimes via @MailOnline pic.twitter.com/E6ZNTLpVg3

— Nomadic Hermit (@nomadic_hermit) January 21, 2023

Earlier this month, the suspect conducted “hostile reconnaissance” at the base, prosecutors said. According to AP, he was prompted to attack the base by Internet sources.

According to the BBC, British counter-terrorism authorities have described the man’s alleged activities as an isolated incident.

James Dunkerley, head of counterterrorism for the North East, told the Telegraph: “We are satisfied that there is currently no evidence of increased risk to the public in our communities or on the grounds of a UK hospital in connection with this investigation.”

However, Dunkerley urged residents to remain vigilant.

“Despite this, the level of threat in the UK remains significant and history has shown us that we cannot afford to be complacent. Public vigilance is invaluable in supporting the efforts of the counterterrorism police and its partners to protect our communities from harm.”

“We are grateful for the support we have received from the public during this investigation. We would especially like to thank the staff and patients at St. James Hospital for their patience and cooperation during last Friday’s outage,” he added.

Farouk appeared via video link at his first hearing on Friday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, The Guardian reported.

No statements have been received, according to AP.

He was ordered to be held until the next hearing on February 3 at the Central Criminal Court in London.

This article originally appeared in The Western Journal.

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