‘Reconnaissance’ carried out by terror scout on Iranian channel

A TERROR scout was “trusted to carry out reconnaissance” on a dissident Iranian channel ahead of a “planned attack” on British soil, a court heard

Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, carried out hostile reconnaissance for others unknown at the London headquarters of Iran International, a Persian-language television channel, in February.

After a trial at the Old Bailey, the Chechnya-born Austrian was found guilty of trying to collect information for terrorist purposes.

He was jailed for three years and six months with a further licence period of 12 months.

Mitigating, Paul Keleher KC said there was every possibility Dovtaev was a “useful idiot” employed to Iran International to provoke a security response and “put the wind up” employees.

He said the idea Iran would contemplate a terrorist attack on a news organisation in England was “far-fetched”.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Richard Marks KC said those behind the defendant’s actions planned an attack on Iran International.

He said: “There is of course no direct evidence in this case as to the precise use to which the video footage, if obtained, would have been put by others, but I am satisfied to the criminal standard of proof that an attack of some sort on Iran International was the plan of those who were behind this.

“It is significant, in my judgment, that following your arrest still and video images were recovered from your phone, taken at the park by another or others, featuring the security arrangements at the entrance gate and outside the building where Iran International were based.

The judge concluded “that there was an element of both planning and persistence on the part of those who were behind this, consistent with a planned

‘This trial was a reminder of the threats journalists and news organisations face’

attack and, moreover, they clearly trusted you to carry out this further reconnaissance.”

Previously, Iran International spokesman Adam Baillie said its journalists would not be “cowed by threats”.

He said: “This trial was a reminder of the threats journalists and news organisations face.

“Journalism is under attack across the world from those who seek to suppress media freedom.”

Commenting on the case, Met Commander Dominic Murphy said counter-terrorism police were “very alive” to the threat posed by Iran to potential targets on British soil.