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- Mar 11, 2013
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If there were a steady stream of converts to Christianity who turned to violence in the name of their new religion, would authorities be so sanguine?
“Muslim convert Liam Fenn who downloaded videos on how to make suicide vest jailed,” by James Rodger, Birmingham Mail, September 29, 2020:
An “obsessional” Muslim convert who downloaded videos on how to make a suicide vest laden with shrapnel has been jailed for four years and eight months.
Liam Fenn, 21, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, was referred to the Government’s counter-terror programme Prevent following comments he made to a youth mentor at his school sixth form in March 2017.
He told police officers he sent emails to an account attributed to proscribed terror group Al Muhajiroun seeking advice on “how best to conduct jihad” and asking whether he should travel to Medina to study or to Syria to fight.
Fenn was given a clear warning about the dangers of viewing and downloading extremist material and taking advice from unknown people over the internet, but he later admitted he could not stop himself.
From November 2017 onwards he repeatedly accessed an “enormous volume” of such material and used encrypted technology, Manchester Crown Court was told.
On January 29 this year he was arrested and a number of electronic devices were seized from his bedroom.
Among numerous downloads were three videos which provided a detailed demonstration of how to manufacture an explosives vest.
Fenn also accessed documents on how to conduct attacks using a vehicle as a weapon and how to prepare for a knife attack, as well as posting a video online containing footage of speakers who praised so-called Islamic State and encouraged acts of terrorism.
Last month he pleaded guilty to eight counts of possessing a document likely to be useful to a terrorist and one count of recklessly encouraging terrorism on various dates between March 2018 and January this year.
Alex Rose, defending, said his client was suffering from undiagnosed autism at the time of the offences and had a mental breakdown following the death of his father when he was aged 13.
That led him to finding “solace” in becoming insular as he became obsessional over a range of diverse topics including religion – starting from Buddhism, moving on to Hinduism and Sikhism, and ending with Islam.
His questioning nature sent him on a “pursuit of truth” which focused on the more extreme aspects of religion and carried on into terrorist groups such as Islamic State and al Qaida, said Mr Rose….
“Muslim convert Liam Fenn who downloaded videos on how to make suicide vest jailed,” by James Rodger, Birmingham Mail, September 29, 2020:
An “obsessional” Muslim convert who downloaded videos on how to make a suicide vest laden with shrapnel has been jailed for four years and eight months.
Liam Fenn, 21, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, was referred to the Government’s counter-terror programme Prevent following comments he made to a youth mentor at his school sixth form in March 2017.
He told police officers he sent emails to an account attributed to proscribed terror group Al Muhajiroun seeking advice on “how best to conduct jihad” and asking whether he should travel to Medina to study or to Syria to fight.
Fenn was given a clear warning about the dangers of viewing and downloading extremist material and taking advice from unknown people over the internet, but he later admitted he could not stop himself.
From November 2017 onwards he repeatedly accessed an “enormous volume” of such material and used encrypted technology, Manchester Crown Court was told.
On January 29 this year he was arrested and a number of electronic devices were seized from his bedroom.
Among numerous downloads were three videos which provided a detailed demonstration of how to manufacture an explosives vest.
Fenn also accessed documents on how to conduct attacks using a vehicle as a weapon and how to prepare for a knife attack, as well as posting a video online containing footage of speakers who praised so-called Islamic State and encouraged acts of terrorism.
Last month he pleaded guilty to eight counts of possessing a document likely to be useful to a terrorist and one count of recklessly encouraging terrorism on various dates between March 2018 and January this year.
Alex Rose, defending, said his client was suffering from undiagnosed autism at the time of the offences and had a mental breakdown following the death of his father when he was aged 13.
That led him to finding “solace” in becoming insular as he became obsessional over a range of diverse topics including religion – starting from Buddhism, moving on to Hinduism and Sikhism, and ending with Islam.
His questioning nature sent him on a “pursuit of truth” which focused on the more extreme aspects of religion and carried on into terrorist groups such as Islamic State and al Qaida, said Mr Rose….
