Banned bomb-making manuals still sold by web shopping giant

BANNED bomb-making manuals used by convicted terrorists can easily be bought online from Amazon.

The global retailer is refusing to remove books which show how to make explosive devices with ordinary household products, similar to the ‘bucket bomb’ used in the Parsons Green attack.

Daily Mail reporters were able to purchase one title, priced £24.94, along with a second book, costing £11.99, direct from the official Amazon website. They were delivered to two addresses in England within 24 hours.

One was being stored at a Birmingham warehouse despite it being illegal to possess both books under the Terrorism Act without a ‘reasonable excuse’.

Waterstones was also offering the titles for sale online, but they were not in stock in Britain. The Mail contacted Amazon but the books were still available to buy last night. We have decided not to disclose their titles for this reason.

It comes just days after it emerged the world’s largest internet shopping site is also selling bomb- making chemicals and marketing them as ‘frequently bought together’ products. The news that the site is also providing step-by-step bomb-making manuals was slammed by counterterrorism experts and MPs.

The first book was denounced by its author after it became prolific among terrorist plotters. It instructs readers on making weaponry including TNT. The second title was intended for use in survival situations by soldiers.

Earlier this year, Damon Smith, 20, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for trying to plant an explosive device on the London Underground, having built his first pipe bomb aged 14 after reading one of the titles available on Amazon.

Chris Phillips, former head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, said: ‘I’m flabbergasted. Amazon have been warned in the past about this material on their website ... People have died as a result of these publications. The fact that these texts can be delivered to your door is completely irresponsible.’

Steve White, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, added: ‘I do not see how anybody other than a terrorist would be able to justify the ease of getting hold of these manuals.’

Conservative MP Philip Davies said: ‘Amazon need to get real and realise they have a responsibility not to sell these things.’

Amazon said it would not comment on the matter. Waterstones said it removed titles at the request of police or judges.