Terrorist links

I see that another person has been convicted on terror charges, this time Sohail Qureshi - by the way in the photo the BBC are showing, does that beard look real or as if drawn with a felt tip pen onto the photo.

What is most interesting is that the BBC and various other news organisations (Guardian and Telegraph) are today reporting that Sohail Qureshi used Samina Malik as an inforamtion gatherer at the airport "In an October 2006 email, Qureshi asked Malik for an update on security.

"Is the checking still very harsh? Or have things cooled down a bit - Delete after read!" wrote Qureshi.

Malik replied at 4am detailing the security measures, including searching of shoes and checks on liquids. She signed off with a nom de guerre and the line, "A stranger awaiting martyrdom.""

"Peter Clarke, Assistant Commissioner of Specialist Operations of the Metropolitan Police, said: "Qureshi is a trained and committed terrorist. He was no amateur. He had a cover story. He researched airport security, he tried to cover his tracks.

"Samina Malik was well aware of Qureshi's violent extremist views and was happy to provide him with advice on security measures at the airport. "


In case you have forgoten, Samina Malik was the so called "lyrical terrorist" who was found guilty of of possessing material "likely to be of use" in terrorism in an Old Bailey trial back in November 2007. Samina Malik was acquitted of the more serious charge of having material "for the purpose" of terrorism and received just a nine-month suspended jail sentence. Now that we know that she was assisting someone who admitted preparing to commit an act of terrorism overseas, maybe she could be accused and convicted of a more serious crime and so actually receive a custodial sentence. Whilst on the subject, Sohail Qureshi received a four and a half year custodial sentence for his crime. So as I understand it, he'll be automatically paroled after just over two years. Two years in jail for someone who admitted preparing to commit an act of terrorism overseas; does that seem adequate to you?