Man accused of planning terrorist attacks at St James' Hospital in Leeds admits pressure cooker bomb charge

Mohammed Farooq, 28, was arrested in the early hours of January 20 in the grounds of St James’s Hospital in Leeds.

Farooq was due to go on trial on Friday and potential jurors were told by a judge earlier this week he is accused of “an alleged plan to target RAF Menwith Hill, in Harrogate, and St James’s Hospital, in Leeds, in a terrorist attack”.

When he appeared on Friday he pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property.

He continues to face trial at Sheffield Crown Court on a charge he denies of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts. Earlier this week, Farooq, from Leeds, admitted a number of other charges.

He pleaded guilty to possessing an explosive substance in suspicious circumstances and possessing a document likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, which relates to a series of notes on a mobile phone on the manufacture of the toxic substances ricin, sarin, VX, tabun and tetrodotoxin.

Farooq also admitted to having an imitation firearm with criminal intent, namely a Gediz 9mm PAK semi-automatic pistol, and possession of the same imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Farooq denies engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts.

This charge alleges that, between July 12 2021 and January 21 2023, he engaged in conduct including “manufacturing or assembling an improvised explosive device”.

It also alleges that he travelled to locations between January 19 and 20 2023 “in order to carry out an attack” and conducted reconnaissance of “potential locations for attack”.

The charge further alleges that he acquired a document titled: Safety and security guidelines for lone wolf Mujahideen and small cells.

Farooq sat in the dock wearing a grey T-shirt and with three prison officers. The judge, Mr Justice Hilliard, adjourned the case until Tuesday.