‘Bomb’ man wanted TV Piers chats

A HOAXER planted fake nail bombs because he wanted to be interviewed on telly by Good Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan.

Thanasis Joel, 27, was jailed for four years last night. He penned a note to Morgan warning him “by the time you get this, you will hear of me”.

Joel left a pretend bomb in a library and took two dummy devices into the heart of Manchester. He then told a police officer he had fake bombs in his rucksack, as well as a hammer, a knife, a BB ball-firing gun and petrol bombs.

The threats sparked a £500,000 terror alert as bomb disposal experts were called in. Devices were made from jam jars filled with nails and wires with watches placed on top.

Officers searched the former carpentry student at the scene and found a letter he had written to the host of Good Morning Britain.

It read: “I have been hearing voices on and off for a year telling me to kill people so I am doing this to see if the voices will go away.

“I will make fake bombs and put them in Manchester. Long story – I want you to come and see me and do an interview with me for TV like you do in the USA.”

Joel was wearing a T-shirt with the names of mass murderers and white supremacists scrawled all over it when he walked up to police officers and confessed to them.

Joel, from Hollinwood, Oldham, Lancs, admitted planting the fake bombs, causing a public nuisance, having a bladed article and possessing a firearm at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester.