21-year-old British convert to Islam who was planning a terrorist attack on a shopping center has been jailed for life

Jordan Richardson, 21, a gym receptionist and Muslim convert (self-described as an “Anglo Jihadi”) from East Yorkshire, has been jailed for life after being convicted of planning a bomb and mustard gas attack on a major shopping center. He was  caught carrying a recipe for mustard gas in his rucksack.

SKY NEWS Handwritten notes were recovered from his bag, with one reading: “Reach hidden vantage point, apply gas mask, outfit, load crossbow, throw all grenades into crowd, shoot bystanders, stab anyone who come close, do not get taken alive.”

A second note contained the ingredients and instructions on how to make mustard gas, a notorious chemical warfare blister agent used in the First World War that can be fatal if inhaled. 

At Leeds Crown Court, judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb stated: “But for the disruptive action of counter-terrorism police you would have committed that act within weeks.”

Jurors had earlier heard how Richardson’s mother had moved away, he had split up with his girlfriend, and he would spend his time in his flat playing on his Xbox and chatting online. When his home was searched, police recovered a combat knife in a sheath, a crossbow purchased from an online store and 11 crossbow bolts.

He also had a link to an ISIS bomb-making video used by the Manchester Arena bomber, showing how to make the high explosive TATP.

Richardson was found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism by acquiring weapons, researching explosive substances, identifying possible locations, and considering the steps required for an attack. He was also found guilty of three counts of encouraging terrorism and two counts of possessing bomb-making instructions useful for terrorism.

The judge jailed him for life with a minimum of 16 years and said he had “a genuine ideological commitment to violent jihad” and was “not on the path to deradicalisation”. She added: “Your defence was that your online communications were all part of a fantasy role-play in which you enjoyed the taboo of expressing hate and glorifying extremist violence.

“The jury rejected that account and so do I. “The nature, persistence and frequency of your posts make me sure that you intended to use the crossbow and knife in a terrorist attack in the United Kingdom and that attack was likely to take place somewhere significant members of the public would be at risk.”