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Wife who bought knife for husband guilty over terror plot | Wife who bought knife for husband guilty over terror plot |
(35 minutes later) | |
A wife who bought a combat knife and training dummy for her husband has been found guilty of helping him prepare for a planned terror attack in Birmingham. | A wife who bought a combat knife and training dummy for her husband has been found guilty of helping him prepare for a planned terror attack in Birmingham. |
Madihah Taheer, 21, from the city, denied preparing an act of terrorism by assisting her husband Ummariyat Mirza earlier this year. | Madihah Taheer, 21, from the city, denied preparing an act of terrorism by assisting her husband Ummariyat Mirza earlier this year. |
Woolwich Crown Court heard the husband and wife team had developed their plans after falling in love as teenagers. | Woolwich Crown Court heard the husband and wife team had developed their plans after falling in love as teenagers. |
She has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a later date. | |
In March, armed police arrested the husband at gunpoint in Birmingham. | In March, armed police arrested the husband at gunpoint in Birmingham. |
They acted on MI5 intelligence that Mirza was going to carry out a rampaging knife attack, similar to those seen this year in London. | They acted on MI5 intelligence that Mirza was going to carry out a rampaging knife attack, similar to those seen this year in London. |
His arrest on 29 March came exactly one week after the Westminster Bridge terror attack in London. | His arrest on 29 March came exactly one week after the Westminster Bridge terror attack in London. |
The court was told the pair had initially hoped to travel to Syria to aid the Islamic State group - but decided to carry out an attack in their home city instead. | The court was told the pair had initially hoped to travel to Syria to aid the Islamic State group - but decided to carry out an attack in their home city instead. |
West Midlands counter-terror officers said they discovered a list of potential targets, including military sites in the area. | |
Taheer also allowed her debit card to be used to buy a plastic knife and a lifelike training dummy so that her husband could practise an attack, the court heard. | Taheer also allowed her debit card to be used to buy a plastic knife and a lifelike training dummy so that her husband could practise an attack, the court heard. |
The dummy was found in their home with slash marks on the forehead, across the throat and abdomen. | The dummy was found in their home with slash marks on the forehead, across the throat and abdomen. |
The jury at Woolwich Crown Court took less than a day to convict Taheer. | The jury at Woolwich Crown Court took less than a day to convict Taheer. |
The jurors were shown a text message that Taheer sent to Mirza in September 2015, before the couple were married. "Can we get married already," she wrote. "I want u to kill ppl for me. I have a list." | The jurors were shown a text message that Taheer sent to Mirza in September 2015, before the couple were married. "Can we get married already," she wrote. "I want u to kill ppl for me. I have a list." |
The court was shown another message she sent to Mirza a month later, where Taheer said it was her "dream" to hurt or kill a person the pair both knew. | The court was shown another message she sent to Mirza a month later, where Taheer said it was her "dream" to hurt or kill a person the pair both knew. |
He responded by sending her a video of him making stabbing motions towards a chair - and asking her to buy him a knife. | He responded by sending her a video of him making stabbing motions towards a chair - and asking her to buy him a knife. |
Mirza, a former accountant, pleaded guilty to the plotting charge earlier this month, and is also due to be sentenced. | |
His older sister, Zainub Mirza, pleaded guilty in October to sending him terrorist material, including a video showing an IS hostage being beheaded. | His older sister, Zainub Mirza, pleaded guilty in October to sending him terrorist material, including a video showing an IS hostage being beheaded. |
Sue Hemming, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said the messages showed Taheer was a "willing accomplice" who knew what the knife would be used for. | |
She said: "This couple posed a serious threat to the public in Britain and now face the prospect of time in prison where they will no longer be a danger." | |