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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| St Paul's bomb plot: IS supporter Safiyya Shaikh pleads guilty | St Paul's bomb plot: IS supporter Safiyya Shaikh pleads guilty |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A supporter of the banned Islamic State terror group has admitted plotting to blow herself up in a bomb attack on St Paul's Cathedral. | A supporter of the banned Islamic State terror group has admitted plotting to blow herself up in a bomb attack on St Paul's Cathedral. |
| Safiyya Shaikh, of Hayes, west London, went on a reconnaissance trip to scope out the London landmark and a hotel. | Safiyya Shaikh, of Hayes, west London, went on a reconnaissance trip to scope out the London landmark and a hotel. |
| The 36-year-old, born Michelle Ramsden, was arrested after asking an undercover police officer to supply bombs. | The 36-year-old, born Michelle Ramsden, was arrested after asking an undercover police officer to supply bombs. |
| At the Old Bailey the Muslim convert admitted preparing an act of terrorism and will be sentenced in May. | At the Old Bailey the Muslim convert admitted preparing an act of terrorism and will be sentenced in May. |
| Over the two months before her arrest in October 2019, Shaikh built up a relationship with two undercover officers who were posing as a husband and wife extremist team. | Over the two months before her arrest in October 2019, Shaikh built up a relationship with two undercover officers who were posing as a husband and wife extremist team. |
| She messaged one of them via an encrypted social media app. | She messaged one of them via an encrypted social media app. |
| 'Bomb under the dome' | 'Bomb under the dome' |
| "I want to kill a lot," she told the officer. "I would like to do church... a day like Christmas or Easter good, kill more. | "I want to kill a lot," she told the officer. "I would like to do church... a day like Christmas or Easter good, kill more. |
| "I always send threats. But I want to make threats real." | "I always send threats. But I want to make threats real." |
| She sent a picture of St Paul's Cathedral to the officer and wrote: "I would like to do this place for sure. | She sent a picture of St Paul's Cathedral to the officer and wrote: "I would like to do this place for sure. |
| "I would like bomb and shoot 'til death... I really would love to destroy that place and the kaffir [enemies of IS] there." | "I would like bomb and shoot 'til death... I really would love to destroy that place and the kaffir [enemies of IS] there." |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Dominic Casciani, Home Affairs correspondent | By Dominic Casciani, Home Affairs correspondent |
| Shaikh was caught thanks to a combination of critical pieces of the picture of her extremism that came together over time. | Shaikh was caught thanks to a combination of critical pieces of the picture of her extremism that came together over time. |
| First, there was mounting intelligence of her extremist ideology. She stopped going to a mosque because she suspected she would be reported for her views. | First, there was mounting intelligence of her extremist ideology. She stopped going to a mosque because she suspected she would be reported for her views. |
| Second, a cyber operation revealed she headed a significant pro-IS social media chat platform that was pumping out propaganda and urging attacks on targets in Europe. Dutch counter-terrorism investigators linked that account to numerous threats in The Netherlands, one of which had led to the evacuation of a church. | |
| Two undercover operations swung into action. | Two undercover operations swung into action. |
| In the first, she was befriended by an "online role player" - an officer posing as a fellow extremist to gain more insight into her intentions. | In the first, she was befriended by an "online role player" - an officer posing as a fellow extremist to gain more insight into her intentions. |
| These operations have become increasingly important in fighting terrorism as officers track extremists in social media and work out which ones will convert their talk into attacks. | These operations have become increasingly important in fighting terrorism as officers track extremists in social media and work out which ones will convert their talk into attacks. |
| Once Shaikh's intentions were confirmed, a real-world undercover operation had to prove how dangerous she was in the meeting where she explicitly asked for bombs. | Once Shaikh's intentions were confirmed, a real-world undercover operation had to prove how dangerous she was in the meeting where she explicitly asked for bombs. |
| Just over a week later she visited St Paul's and sent videos to her contact, writing: "I will to the bomb under the dome. | Just over a week later she visited St Paul's and sent videos to her contact, writing: "I will to the bomb under the dome. |
| "I will also do something in hotel, then church, then kill 'til I'm dead." | "I will also do something in hotel, then church, then kill 'til I'm dead." |
| Prosecutors say she gave two bags which she wanted to be fitted with homemade bombs to the female undercover officer. | Prosecutors say she gave two bags which she wanted to be fitted with homemade bombs to the female undercover officer. |
| Shaikh converted to Islam in 2007 after being impressed by the kindness of her Muslim neighbours but later became isolated and apparently rejected mainstream Islam. | Shaikh converted to Islam in 2007 after being impressed by the kindness of her Muslim neighbours but later became isolated and apparently rejected mainstream Islam. |
| She began to court the extremist violent ideology of IS and other jihadist groups and by 2016 Shaikh stopped attending mosques. | She began to court the extremist violent ideology of IS and other jihadist groups and by 2016 Shaikh stopped attending mosques. |
| She was also reported to the government's Prevent programme. | She was also reported to the government's Prevent programme. |
| In a police interview Shaikh admitted posting extremist material and plotting a bomb attack, although she said she might not have gone through with it. | In a police interview Shaikh admitted posting extremist material and plotting a bomb attack, although she said she might not have gone through with it. |
| In court she pleaded guilty to the preparation of terrorist acts and dissemination of terrorist publications. | In court she pleaded guilty to the preparation of terrorist acts and dissemination of terrorist publications. |
| Mr Justice Sweeney ordered reports ahead of sentencing on 11 May. | Mr Justice Sweeney ordered reports ahead of sentencing on 11 May. |
| In November Neil Basu, head of counter terrorism policing, said the UK's counter terrorism policing team had about 800 live counter-terrorism investigations. | In November Neil Basu, head of counter terrorism policing, said the UK's counter terrorism policing team had about 800 live counter-terrorism investigations. |
| He said 24 attack plots had been thwarted since the Westminster attack in March 2017. | He said 24 attack plots had been thwarted since the Westminster attack in March 2017. |