Would-be bomber a straight-a student

A FORMER straight-a student planned a suicide attack in the UK after online Isil propaganda made him obsessed with “martyrdom”.

Mubashir Jamil, 22, from Luton, told an undercover police officer posing as a recruiter for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) that he would put on a suicide vest and “press the button on the same day” but would prefer to join the jihadi group in Syria, the Old Bailey heard.

Jamil denied preparing acts of terror, saying he was hearing voices and wanted to go to Syria to be exorcised of the “jinns” that were plaguing him.

He was jailed for six years after an Old Bailey jury deliberated for a day to find him guilty following a retrial last month.

Judge Peter Rook QC said he had considered whether to jail Jamil or give him a hospital order as the defendant suffers from a schizo-affective disorder but had concluded Jamil’s crime was only “in part” explained by his mental health disorder.

The judge handed Jamil a “hybrid order”, under which he can continue to be treated in a secure hospital until he is well enough to be transferred to prison.

The court had heard how the avid computer gamer became obsessed with “martyrdom” after researching Isil propaganda.

He was caught in an encrypted chat with an undercover officer, telling him: “If you or some brother you know can put an explosive belt on me and tell me how to press, as soon as possible for security reasons, I can do something in the UK even tomorrow after I find a good target.” He went on to say he would “prefer Hijrah (migration)”.

The former Challney High School for Boys pupil got A grades in his GCSES and did work experience at an accountancy firm before working at an Amazon warehouse.