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| Exeter restaurant bomber Nicky Reilly dies in prison | Exeter restaurant bomber Nicky Reilly dies in prison |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| A man who injured himself with a home-made nail bomb during a bid to blow up a restaurant has died in prison. | A man who injured himself with a home-made nail bomb during a bid to blow up a restaurant has died in prison. |
| Nicky Reilly, then 22, carried three devices held in glass bottles into the Giraffe restaurant in Exeter in 2008. | Nicky Reilly, then 22, carried three devices held in glass bottles into the Giraffe restaurant in Exeter in 2008. |
| Reilly, who admitted attempted murder and preparing an act of terrorism, was sentenced to life in prison and told he must serve a minimum of 18 years. | Reilly, who admitted attempted murder and preparing an act of terrorism, was sentenced to life in prison and told he must serve a minimum of 18 years. |
| Reilly, 30, was found dead in custody at HMP Manchester on Wednesday. The cause of death has not been revealed. | Reilly, 30, was found dead in custody at HMP Manchester on Wednesday. The cause of death has not been revealed. |
| A Prison Service spokeswoman said "as with all deaths in custody" there would be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. | A Prison Service spokeswoman said "as with all deaths in custody" there would be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. |
| Reilly had been targeted by extremists ahead of his bombing attempt, according to his mother, who said she was "too upset" about his death to comment. | Reilly had been targeted by extremists ahead of his bombing attempt, according to his mother, who said she was "too upset" about his death to comment. |
| Analysis: Simon Hall, BBC South West home affairs correspondent | Analysis: Simon Hall, BBC South West home affairs correspondent |
| I was there at the Old Bailey when Reilly was sentenced. | I was there at the Old Bailey when Reilly was sentenced. |
| In the public gallery, his mother Kim wept through much of the hearing. | In the public gallery, his mother Kim wept through much of the hearing. |
| She always said her son was vulnerable and preyed on by extremists, who used him by pretending to be his friends. | She always said her son was vulnerable and preyed on by extremists, who used him by pretending to be his friends. |
| But Reilly himself showed no remorse. | But Reilly himself showed no remorse. |
| And he had viable bombs, which could have caused dreadful destruction had they detonated in the way Reilly intended on that spring day, back in 2008. | And he had viable bombs, which could have caused dreadful destruction had they detonated in the way Reilly intended on that spring day, back in 2008. |
| Former Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Bob Spencer, who commanded the emergency response to the attempted bombing of May 2008, told the BBC: "My sympathies go to his family and loved ones. | Former Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Bob Spencer, who commanded the emergency response to the attempted bombing of May 2008, told the BBC: "My sympathies go to his family and loved ones. |
| "But Reilly did attempt to commit a terrible crime, and justice had to be done in terms of him receiving a long prison sentence." | "But Reilly did attempt to commit a terrible crime, and justice had to be done in terms of him receiving a long prison sentence." |
| Sentencing Reilly at the Old Bailey in London, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith said it was "sheer luck or chance that [the bombing] did not succeed in its objectives". | Sentencing Reilly at the Old Bailey in London, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith said it was "sheer luck or chance that [the bombing] did not succeed in its objectives". |
| "The offence of attempted murder is aggravated by the fact that it was long-planned, that it had multiple intended victims and was intended to terrorise the population of this country," he added. | "The offence of attempted murder is aggravated by the fact that it was long-planned, that it had multiple intended victims and was intended to terrorise the population of this country," he added. |
| Police believe Reilly was encouraged by extremists in Pakistan. | Police believe Reilly was encouraged by extremists in Pakistan. |
| In 2004 he changed his name to Mohamed Rashid Saeed-Alim, and began to download videos on bomb-making and martyrdom. | In 2004 he changed his name to Mohamed Rashid Saeed-Alim, and began to download videos on bomb-making and martyrdom. |
| He had been preparing to detonate the bombs, containing about 500 nails, at the Giraffe restaurant when one exploded in his hands. | He had been preparing to detonate the bombs, containing about 500 nails, at the Giraffe restaurant when one exploded in his hands. |
| Dozens of customers and staff fled the restaurant in panic. | Dozens of customers and staff fled the restaurant in panic. |
| Reilly - who converted to Islam between 2002 and 2003 - had learning difficulties and Asperger's syndrome. | Reilly - who converted to Islam between 2002 and 2003 - had learning difficulties and Asperger's syndrome. |
| He received a separate 16-month sentence in July for attacking staff at Broadmoor high security psychiatric unit in a row over prayers. | He received a separate 16-month sentence in July for attacking staff at Broadmoor high security psychiatric unit in a row over prayers. |
| A Prison Service spokesperson said: "HMP Manchester prisoner Mohamed Saeed-Alim died in custody on Wednesday 19 October. | |
| "As with all deaths in custody there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman." |