The Prosecution and Conviction of Mohammad Farooq for Planned Terror Attacks

Leading Counsel on behalf of the Counter Terrorism Unit, Jonathan Sandiford KC prosecuted Mohammed Farooq on terrorist charges.

Jonathan Sandiford KC led the prosecution against Mohammad Farooq, who planned terrorist attacks on RAF Menwith Hill and St James’s Hospital in Leeds. Working alongside junior counsel Angus MacDonald, Sandiford presented compelling evidence of Farooq’s radicalisation and intent to cause mass casualties.

The attempted terrorist attack on St James’s Hospital

In January 2023, Mohammad Farooq, a 29-year-old clinical support worker from Leeds, attempted a terrorist attack on St James’s Hospital, where he had previously worked. Motivated by extremist ideology, he built a pressure cooker bomb packed with nearly 10 kilograms of low explosives—twice the amount used in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

Farooq initially planned to target RAF Menwith Hill, a military base in North Yorkshire. However, after encountering heightened security, he redirected his attack to the hospital’s maternity wing, intending to “kill as many nurses as possible” in pursuit of martyrdom.

On January 20, 2023, Farooq arrived at St James’s Hospital armed with the explosive device, an imitation firearm, and a knife. Outside the Gledhow Wing, he encountered patient Nathan Newby, who noticed his distress. Showing remarkable composure and empathy, Newby engaged Farooq in conversation and ultimately persuaded him to abandon his plan and surrender to the police, preventing a potential mass-casualty event.

Following his arrest, investigations revealed Farooq had been self-radicalised through online extremist content. He had meticulously followed a “lone wolf mujahideen” terrorist manual to construct his device.

Convicted of preparing acts of terrorism, possessing explosives

In July 2024, he was convicted of preparing acts of terrorism, possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life, firearms offenses, and possessing terrorist materials.

Sentencing of Mohammed Farooq

On March 21, 2025, at Sheffield Crown Court, Mrs. Justice Cheema-Grubb sentenced Farooq to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years. She described him as a “dangerous” individual who was “prepared to do the unthinkable.  She also praised Nathan Newby as an “extraordinary, ordinary man” whose “decency and kindness” helped prevent tragedy.

head of Investigations for Counter Terrorism Policing north East

Detective Superintendent Paul Greenwood, head of investigations for Counter Terrorism Policing North East, commended Newby’s bravery, stating that Farooq came

“dangerously close to harming innocent people.”

He emphasised that the case highlights the ongoing threat of self-radicalisation and the vital role of vigilance and community intervention in countering terrorism.

The prosecution secured Farooq’s conviction for preparing acts of terrorism, resulting in a life sentence with a minimum term of 37 years.

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