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Man ordered 'Breaking Bad-style' ricin delivery on dark web, court hears Man ordered 'Breaking Bad-style' ricin delivery from FBI agent, court hears
(35 minutes later)
A man ordered a “Breaking Bad-style” delivery of enough ricin to kill up to 1,400 people from an undercover FBI agent, the Old Bailey has heard.A man ordered a “Breaking Bad-style” delivery of enough ricin to kill up to 1,400 people from an undercover FBI agent, the Old Bailey has heard.
Jurors were told that Mohammed Ammer Ali, 31, a father of two, attempted to purchase 500mg of “the poisoner’s perfect poison” over the dark web before police raided his family home earlier this year.Jurors were told that Mohammed Ammer Ali, 31, a father of two, attempted to purchase 500mg of “the poisoner’s perfect poison” over the dark web before police raided his family home earlier this year.
He was arrested after the FBI tipped off their counterparts in the north-west counter-terrorism unit, the jury heard, although detectives have since found no evidence Ali has any links to terrorist groups. He was arrested after the FBI tipped off the north-west counter-terrorism unit in the UK, the jury heard, although detectives have since found no evidence Ali has any links to terrorist groups.
Ali, a software engineer from Liverpool, is charged with attempting to possess a chemical weapon between 10 January 2015 and 12 February 2015. He denies the charge on the basis that he attempted to purchase the poison for a “peaceful purpose” as an experiment.Ali, a software engineer from Liverpool, is charged with attempting to possess a chemical weapon between 10 January 2015 and 12 February 2015. He denies the charge on the basis that he attempted to purchase the poison for a “peaceful purpose” as an experiment.
Related: Liverpool man appears in court charged with attempting to obtain ricinRelated: Liverpool man appears in court charged with attempting to obtain ricin
Opening the trial for the prosecution on Tuesday, Sally Howes QC told jurors that Ali used encrypted communications to order 500mg of ricin from an online black market known as the Evolution Marketplace.Opening the trial for the prosecution on Tuesday, Sally Howes QC told jurors that Ali used encrypted communications to order 500mg of ricin from an online black market known as the Evolution Marketplace.
He used the online moniker “WEIRDOS OOOO” to communicate with an undercover FBI agent posing as a ricin dealer, the court heard. In one message sent to the FBI agent, Ali asked: “Hi, would you be able to make me some ricin and send it to the UK?”He used the online moniker “WEIRDOS OOOO” to communicate with an undercover FBI agent posing as a ricin dealer, the court heard. In one message sent to the FBI agent, Ali asked: “Hi, would you be able to make me some ricin and send it to the UK?”
Over several days of communication, Ali allegedly arranged to have the poison delivered to his home concealed in a toy car in five 100mg vials. He agreed to pay $500 for the ricin using the digital currency bitcoin, jurors heard.Over several days of communication, Ali allegedly arranged to have the poison delivered to his home concealed in a toy car in five 100mg vials. He agreed to pay $500 for the ricin using the digital currency bitcoin, jurors heard.
Ali promised to be a “very good repeat customer” if he was satisfied with the product, suggesting he would go on to order 500mg a month for several months.Ali promised to be a “very good repeat customer” if he was satisfied with the product, suggesting he would go on to order 500mg a month for several months.
He said in one message read to jurors: “I do like the idea of five separate vials. Are we talking Breaking Bad-style?”He said in one message read to jurors: “I do like the idea of five separate vials. Are we talking Breaking Bad-style?”
Ali was coy when the undercover agent asked for information about the target, saying only that they were not taking any other medication, the court heard. In an earlier message, the defendant asked his supplier: “How would one trust it’s actually ricin other than the obvious? :-).” Ali was coy when the undercover agent asked for information about the target, saying only that they were not taking any other medication, the court heard. In an earlier message, the court was told, the defendant asked his supplier: “How would one trust it’s actually ricin other than the obvious? :-).”
“Negotiations for the purchase and delivery of the ricin were facilitated by internet communication between the defendant and a third party,” Howes said. “It was all done by computer. They never spoke. They never met and many communications between them were encrypted.”“Negotiations for the purchase and delivery of the ricin were facilitated by internet communication between the defendant and a third party,” Howes said. “It was all done by computer. They never spoke. They never met and many communications between them were encrypted.”
On 10 February, the toy car was sent to Ali’s family home – although police officers had filled the five vials with a harmless substance rather than ricin.On 10 February, the toy car was sent to Ali’s family home – although police officers had filled the five vials with a harmless substance rather than ricin.
When officers raided his flat, they discovered that the defendant had made an aide memoire on his computer saying “get pet to murder”, the court heard.When officers raided his flat, they discovered that the defendant had made an aide memoire on his computer saying “get pet to murder”, the court heard.
He had also carried out Google searches for “chinchillas Liverpool”, “small sized pets” and “Liverpool pet shop”, jurors were told.He had also carried out Google searches for “chinchillas Liverpool”, “small sized pets” and “Liverpool pet shop”, jurors were told.
On his LG Nexus mobile phone, the jury heard that Ali had searched on Yahoo for “what poison kills you quick, is foolproof, easily found/made, easily concealed and hard to detect post mortem”.On his LG Nexus mobile phone, the jury heard that Ali had searched on Yahoo for “what poison kills you quick, is foolproof, easily found/made, easily concealed and hard to detect post mortem”.
As far back as last October, the jury was told, Ali carried out Google searches comparing different types of lethal poison – including “abrin v ricin”, “home made cyanide and ricin” and “hydrogen peroxide”.As far back as last October, the jury was told, Ali carried out Google searches comparing different types of lethal poison – including “abrin v ricin”, “home made cyanide and ricin” and “hydrogen peroxide”.
Ricin poisoning can kill its victims within three to five days, the jury heard, after suffering multiple organ failure. Ricin poisoning can kill its victims within three to five days, the jury heard, after they suffer multiple organ failure.
“Expert scientific opinion is that, if administered or inhaled, that quantity of ricin would be a lethal dose sufficient to kill between 700 and 1,400 people,” Howes told the court.“Expert scientific opinion is that, if administered or inhaled, that quantity of ricin would be a lethal dose sufficient to kill between 700 and 1,400 people,” Howes told the court.
The prosecutor told jurors that the defendant’s legal team will say Ali has personality traits associated with Asperger syndrome to explain his conduct. The prosecutor told jurors that the defendant’s legal team would say Ali had personality traits associated with Asperger syndrome, to explain his conduct.
He is also expected to argue that he attempted to purchase the ricin for a “peaceful purpose” – out of “pure curiosity” – and not to be used as a chemical weapon.He is also expected to argue that he attempted to purchase the ricin for a “peaceful purpose” – out of “pure curiosity” – and not to be used as a chemical weapon.
However, Howes told the jury: “In any event, there is evidence in this case, you may think, that contradicts the suggestion that the actions of the defendant between 11 January 2015 and 10 February 2015 were driven by a desire to see if he could obtain ricin through the dark web out of curiosity. In other words, doing it as a dare.”However, Howes told the jury: “In any event, there is evidence in this case, you may think, that contradicts the suggestion that the actions of the defendant between 11 January 2015 and 10 February 2015 were driven by a desire to see if he could obtain ricin through the dark web out of curiosity. In other words, doing it as a dare.”
She asked jurors to consider his internet activity and that he attempted to purchase a significant quantity of ricin – “enough to do away with 400-1,700 people” and that he appeared to deliberately choose a poison that cannot be traced. She asked jurors to consider his internet activity and that he attempted to purchase a significant quantity of ricin – “enough to do away with 400-1,700 people” – and that he appeared to deliberately choose a poison that could not be traced.
Ali listened silently to the prosecution’s opening from a glass-encased dock. His relatives sat in the public gallery.Ali listened silently to the prosecution’s opening from a glass-encased dock. His relatives sat in the public gallery.
The trial continues.The trial continues.