finance
Teenager jailed 13 and a half years for UK terror plot
An Italian national was arrested at Manchester Airport in November 2024 while attempting to travel to Somalia. He later pleaded guilty to six terrorism offenses and received a 13-and-a-half-year sentence.
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Police arrested Italian national Muhammad Billal at Manchester Airport in November 2024 as he tried to board a flight to Somalia. Court records show his phone contained terrorist literature and searches for rifles and semi-automatic weapons. Billal, now 19, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to two counts of preparing a terrorist act and four counts of collecting information for terrorism.
The Old Bailey sentenced him to 13 and a half years in prison.
Court findings The judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, stated that Billal intended to kill members of the public and hoped to be killed by police. She rejected his claim that he had been groomed, saying he started the activity on his own. Billal declared allegiance to Islamic State throughout 2024 and collected propaganda from the group.
He researched targets including churches, synagogues and Old Trafford, and planned to buy a gun on the dark web with cryptocurrency.
Statements in court Billal told police he was "naive and bored" and claimed he was traveling to Somalia "for the sunshine." Prosecutors said officers stopped him from completing three months of training with the group. Defense counsel described Billal as vulnerable after moving to Britain from Italy at age 13 and said he had been brainwashed. The judge said she did not accept that account.
