Man jailed for four years over plot to blow up London mosque

A man who plotted to bomb a south London mosque after becoming fixated on the youngest victim of the Manchester Arena attack has been jailed for four years.

Steven Bishop, 41, of Thornton Heath, south London, stockpiled fireworks and researched instructions on how to build explosives.

His room in sheltered accommodation was raided by counter-terror police on 29 October last year after he showed his key worker images of objects he said he was collecting to make a bomb.

Bishop looked up

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He repeatedly searched for memorials to the youngest victim of the Manchester Arena attack – eight-year-old Saffierose Roussos.

On 23 October last year he made a £40 donation to the Manchester Emergency Fund set up on the website Just Giving with the comment: “So sad that this happened to little kids.” A second donation for the same amount made the same day was accompanied by the comment: “I’m in love with my buitiful [sic] Saffie god bless you xx.”

Bishop also searched the “Find a Grave” website looking for Saffie-rose’s resting place.

He commented “god bless little Saffie” on a Facebook video called “Standing for Britain” which featured some of the victims of the Manchester attack, adding: “Don’t worry something bad is going to happen soon mark my words.”

Bishop denied preparation of an act of terrorism but admitted an alternative charge of possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or cause damage to property on the first day of his trial at Kingston Crown Court.