Doctor faces 14 years in jail for explosives haul in tower block
A FORMER Syrian doctor is facing up to 14 years in prison after a massive hoard of explosive i ngredients and bomb- making instructions was found in his home.
A court heard that Faris al-Khori used the internet to buy chemicals, ball bearings, bolts, nuts and a bag of beans which can be used to produce the highly toxic poison ricin.
The terrifying haul was discovered by chance after a team of firefighters attended an emergency call following a rubbish chute f i re at a tower block i n Muirhouse, Edinburgh.
After the blaze was extinguished, fire crews forced entry to the flats to check no one was inside but when they entered a property where al-Khori was a tenant they found items that gave them ‘ cause for concern’.
These included mustard jars containing quantities of white powder and one marked ‘weedkiller’.
Al- Khori, 62, described as a ‘ Walter Mitty’ character, had a small amount of a highly volatile explosive which the forensic explosives laboratory refused to handle as it was so dangerous.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard a bomb scene manager was called to the flat along with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear advisers and that the building, at Fidra Court, was evacuated as a precaution.
A search was carried out at a further block at Persevere Court, Leith, where al-Khori lived with his wife, and a further haul of material was recovered.
A further evacuation was later carried out at the block, which was sealed off.
A mustard jar marked ‘ lead picrate’ – a compound which can be used in the manufacture of explosive devices – was destroyed in a controlled explosion by the bomb squad.
Al-Khori admitted that all the items belonged to him and said the acetone that was recovered was used to clean carpets while the peroxide found was for clearing up after pigeons.
He said a quantity of fertiliser was used for plants on the balcony, although police could find none there when they searched the premises.
His wife said that her husband carried out ‘ wee tests’ and had bought items from internet retail giant Amazon.
Al-Khori, who completed medical training in Iraq to become a doctor, was f acing charges under the Terrorism Act at one point, but these were later dropped.
He then admitted a breach of the 1883 Explosives Substances Act.
The charge states that between December 27, 2007, and April 27, 2014, he possessed or had under his control explosive substances under circumstances such as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that they were not for a lawful purpose.
Trial judge Lady Wolffe rejected a defence motion to free al-Khori on bail and he was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing next month, where he could face a maximum sentence of 14 years behind bars.
Advocate depute Alex Prentice, QC, told the court that drawers full of notations and documents were seized from both properties, adding: ‘Several of these notations are hand-written and appear to be instructions on how to prepare explosives and bombs.’
The prosecutor s ai d: ‘ The Crown accepts the accused never made, or attempted to make, any explosive substance, explosive device or improvised explosive device.’
Defence counsel Brian McConnachie, QC, told the court that al- Khori, a former Syrian national who was granted British citizenship in 1998, had obtained a diploma in neurosurgery in Austria but failed the second part of his surgeon’s tests and had acted as a carer for his wife.
Mr McConnachie said there was no information to suggest al-Khori had any extremist ideology or motivation and appeared to be ‘some kind of Walter Mitty’.
He said there was no indication that al-Khori had attempted to conceal his online identity and had purchased the materials found through easily traceable internet firms and used an address registered to him and his own bank accounts.
Detective Superintendent David Gordon, who led the investigation, said police had faced ‘a significant and complex inquiry’ to establish al-Khori’s motives for keeping such l arge amounts of dangerous ingredients.
He said: ‘Extensive inquiries both nationally and internationally were carried out, which did not identify any link to terrorism or extremism.’
Mr Gordon added: ‘We are satisfied there is no immediate threat to the community.’
‘Instructions on how to prepare bombs’ ‘Significant and complex inquiry’