Saajid Badat
Encyclopedia
Saajid Muhammad Badat is a British
student, serving a 13-year prison term for planning to blow up an aircraft with a bomb hidden in his shoe. Badat's co-conspirator Richard Reid
is serving a life sentence without parole, in the United States
.
in the 1970s. They moved to Gloucester
in south west England, where Muhammad found work in the Walls ice cream factory. Their first child Saajid was born at Gloucester
maternity hospital on March 28, 1979. He attended St James Church of England primary school, and later won admittance to The Crypt
, a highly regarded grammar school in Gloucester. Teachers there describe him as mature and committed, and in 1997 he graduated with four A-levels. A committed Muslim, Saajid became a Hafiz (one who knows the Qur'an
by heart) aged twelve. After leaving school he briefly pursued studies to be an optometrist before deciding to study to become an Islamic scholar and teacher.
, and from 1999 he attended a madrassa in Pakistan
. There, investigators believe, Badat became radicalised and came under the influence of Al-Qaeda
sympathisers. It is believed he trained in Pakistan and possibly in neighbouring Afghanistan
. There he reportedly met Richard Reid
and Al-Qaeda military commander Mohammed Atef
. Badat returned to the UK in early 2001, but remained in email contact via "Bobu", his handler (alleged to be Tunisian footballer Nizar Trabelsi
).
After his return Badat, like Reid, set about obtaining duplicate passports from British consulates (court documents claim Badat was in the British embassy in Brussels
doing so on September 12, 2001, having watched the attacks of the previous day on television). Both Reid and Badat returned to Pakistan in November 2001, and reportedly travelled overland to Afghanistan. They both were given "shoe bombs", casual footwear adapted to be covertly smuggled onto aircraft before being used to destroy them. Later forensic analysis of both bombs showed that they both contained the same plastic explosive
and that the respective lengths of detonator cord had come from the same batch (indeed, the cut mark on Badat's cord matches exactly that on Reid's). The pair returned separately to the UK in early December 2001.
On their return, both maintained contact with their handler(s) in Pakistan, using a system of telephone cards and email accounts. Soon after this Badat emailed his handler, indicating he was unsure if he would proceed with the scheme. Nevertheless he booked a flight from Manchester to Amsterdam, in preparation for taking a US bound flight from there. Reid did likewise, booking a flight to Paris
and thence to Miami
. On December 22, 2001 Reid boarded his flight, but Badat did not, having emailed his handler "You will have to tell Van Damme that he could be on his own".
in London
, Badat pleaded guilty to involvement in a conspiracy to destroy a US-bound aircraft. On April 22 Badat was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment. Delivering the sentence the judge, Mr Justice Fulford, indicated Badat's withdrawal from the plot justified a more lenient sentence, saying "Turning away from crime in circumstances such as these constitutes a powerful mitigating factor
". Had Badat not withdrawn, the judge said, he would have received a life sentence.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
student, serving a 13-year prison term for planning to blow up an aircraft with a bomb hidden in his shoe. Badat's co-conspirator Richard Reid
Richard Reid (shoe bomber)
Richard Colvin Reid , also known as the Shoe Bomber, is a self-admitted member of al-Qaeda who pled guilty in 2002 in U.S. federal court to eight criminal counts of terrorism stemming from his attempt to destroy a commercial aircraft in-flight by detonating explosives hidden in his shoes...
is serving a life sentence without parole, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
Saajid Badat is the child of Muhammad and Zubeidah Badat, both of whom immigrated to the UK from their birthplace in MalawiMalawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
in the 1970s. They moved to Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
in south west England, where Muhammad found work in the Walls ice cream factory. Their first child Saajid was born at Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
maternity hospital on March 28, 1979. He attended St James Church of England primary school, and later won admittance to The Crypt
The Crypt School, Gloucester
The Crypt School is a grammar school for boys with a mixed Sixth Form, located in the city of Gloucester, England, founded in 1539 by Joan Cooke with money inherited from her husband John....
, a highly regarded grammar school in Gloucester. Teachers there describe him as mature and committed, and in 1997 he graduated with four A-levels. A committed Muslim, Saajid became a Hafiz (one who knows the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
by heart) aged twelve. After leaving school he briefly pursued studies to be an optometrist before deciding to study to become an Islamic scholar and teacher.
Radicalization
His studies began at an Islamic college in LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, and from 1999 he attended a madrassa in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. There, investigators believe, Badat became radicalised and came under the influence of Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
sympathisers. It is believed he trained in Pakistan and possibly in neighbouring Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. There he reportedly met Richard Reid
Richard Reid (shoe bomber)
Richard Colvin Reid , also known as the Shoe Bomber, is a self-admitted member of al-Qaeda who pled guilty in 2002 in U.S. federal court to eight criminal counts of terrorism stemming from his attempt to destroy a commercial aircraft in-flight by detonating explosives hidden in his shoes...
and Al-Qaeda military commander Mohammed Atef
Mohammed Atef
Mohammed Atef was the alleged military chief of al-Qaida, although his role in the organization was not well known by intelligence agencies for years...
. Badat returned to the UK in early 2001, but remained in email contact via "Bobu", his handler (alleged to be Tunisian footballer Nizar Trabelsi
Nizar Trabelsi
Nizar ben Abdelaziz Trabelsi is a convicted terrorist and a former Tunisian former professional football player in Germany. He was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment in 2003 for his association with Al-Qaida, and proposed involvement in militant attacks....
).
After his return Badat, like Reid, set about obtaining duplicate passports from British consulates (court documents claim Badat was in the British embassy in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
doing so on September 12, 2001, having watched the attacks of the previous day on television). Both Reid and Badat returned to Pakistan in November 2001, and reportedly travelled overland to Afghanistan. They both were given "shoe bombs", casual footwear adapted to be covertly smuggled onto aircraft before being used to destroy them. Later forensic analysis of both bombs showed that they both contained the same plastic explosive
Plastic explosive
Plastic explosive is a specialised form of explosive material. It is a soft and hand moldable solid material. Plastic explosives are properly known as putty explosives within the field of explosives engineering....
and that the respective lengths of detonator cord had come from the same batch (indeed, the cut mark on Badat's cord matches exactly that on Reid's). The pair returned separately to the UK in early December 2001.
On their return, both maintained contact with their handler(s) in Pakistan, using a system of telephone cards and email accounts. Soon after this Badat emailed his handler, indicating he was unsure if he would proceed with the scheme. Nevertheless he booked a flight from Manchester to Amsterdam, in preparation for taking a US bound flight from there. Reid did likewise, booking a flight to Paris
Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport , also known as Roissy Airport , in the Paris area, is one of the world's principal aviation centres, as well as France's largest airport. It is named after Charles de Gaulle , leader of the Free French Forces and founder of the French Fifth Republic...
and thence to Miami
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
. On December 22, 2001 Reid boarded his flight, but Badat did not, having emailed his handler "You will have to tell Van Damme that he could be on his own".
Aftermath
Following the failure of Reid's mission and his arrest and conviction, Badat remained silent and returned to his islamic studies in Blackburn. He appears to have cut ties with his handler in Pakistan, but kept the shoe bomb at his parents' home (the detonator under his bed, the explosive in a hallway cupboard). Acting on secret intelligence, police searched his parents' home on St James Street in Gloucester home in November 2003. There they found the concealed bomb parts (they had clearly anticipated doing so, having already evacuated more than 100 families from houses in the surrounding area) and arrested Saajid Badat. After they were allowed to return, Muhammad Badat reportedly spent several days visiting each home in the neighbourhood to apologise.Sentencing
On February 28, 2005 at the Old BaileyOld Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Badat pleaded guilty to involvement in a conspiracy to destroy a US-bound aircraft. On April 22 Badat was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment. Delivering the sentence the judge, Mr Justice Fulford, indicated Badat's withdrawal from the plot justified a more lenient sentence, saying "Turning away from crime in circumstances such as these constitutes a powerful mitigating factor
Mitigating factor
A mitigating factor, in law, is any information or evidence presented to the court regarding the defendant or the circumstances of the crime that might result in reduced charges or a lesser sentence.-Death penalty in the United States:...
". Had Badat not withdrawn, the judge said, he would have received a life sentence.