British Muslim financial analyst found guilty of multiple terror charges in UK

This allowed Counter Terrorism Policing to stop Bhattis progress in manufacturing explosive devices which could otherwise have caused significant harm to the public, said Wright.Following the discovery, Bhatti was arrested and a police search was carried out at his home in Redhill and at a storage container he rented.In the storage unit, officers found chemicals, chemistry equipment, electronic circuitry and even an improvised explosive device, which was dismantled by a specialist explosive ordnance disposal team.This device was not deemed to be functional due to some of the materials used.

A British Muslim financial analyst influenced by extremist Islamist ideology has been found guilty of multiple terrorism-related offences by a UK court after his laptop led police to dangerous bomb-making plans.

Asad Bhatti, from Redhill in Surrey, south-east England, was arrested and charged in January 2021, following which a search was carried out at an address in the area that revealed a makeshift bomb-making facility.

Surrey Police said the 49-year-old, of South Asian origin, was found guilty of two counts of possessing an article for the purpose of terrorism, contrary to Section 57 of the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000.

He was also found guilty of three counts of making or possessing an explosive substance under suspicious circumstances contrary to Section 4 of the UK’s Explosive Substance Act at the Old Bailey court in London on Friday.

Bhatti remains in custody and will be sentenced for the crimes at the same court on April 25.

“The case against Bhatti was strong, I am glad the jury found him guilty today,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) in Surrey.

“There was clear evidence of his extreme Islamist ideology and the danger he posed. He clearly hated those whom he considers do not follow his version of Islam, and he made a range of derogatory comments towards those he considers to be ‘unbelievers’,” he said.

Bhatti was investigated by officers from the CTPSE after he had taken his laptop into a shop to be fixed and a member of staff found some concerning file titles, which he reported.

Upon further investigation by CTPSE, some documents were discovered suggesting whoever was using the device had an interest in explosives and making explosive devices.

“I am especially grateful to the member of the public who recognised the risks and took steps to call the police. This allowed Counter Terrorism Policing to stop Bhatti’s progress in manufacturing explosive devices which could otherwise have caused significant harm to the public,” said Wright.

Following the discovery, Bhatti was arrested and a police search was carried out at his home in Redhill and at a storage container he rented.

In the storage unit, officers found chemicals, chemistry equipment, electronic circuitry, and even an improvised explosive device, which was dismantled by a specialist explosive ordnance disposal team.

This device was not deemed to be functional due to some of the materials used. At his property, items including a USB stick containing guides to make explosive devices were seized, the court was told.

Bhatti was also found to be in possession of manuals he compiled and wrote himself.

He had spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations on making explosives, shooting techniques, and hand combat, along with manuals published by others on making explosives and combat.

A handbook that included the subject ‘Jihad and Martyrdom’ was also found, the jury was told. This resulted in a suspicion that the possession of all these documents was for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation, or instigation of an act of terrorism, Surrey Police said.

The force urged the public to be vigilant to such threats, adding that every year thousands of reports from the public help police tackle similar terrorist threats.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)