Islamic State Supporter Pleads Guilty To St Paul's Cathedral Bomb Plot

An Islamic State supporter has pleaded guilty to plotting to bomb St Paul’s Cathedral and a hotel.

Safiyya Amira Shaikh, 36, was snared by undercover officers last year as she planned to plant two explosive devices in central London, one at the historic cathedral and one at a nearby hotel.

Formerly known as Michelle Ramsden, Shaikh – from Hayes, Middlesex – converted to Islam in 2007 but later rejected its mainstream teachings and began watching extremist material online.

The charge states that Shaikh made contact with someone who could prepare explosives and went on a reconnaissance trip to scope out the cathedral and a hotel as locations to plant bombs.

At a brief hearing at the Old Bailey, Shaikh, pleaded guilty to preparation of terrorist acts and dissemination of terrorist publications on the Telegram messaging app.

The court heard how she had carried out research before settling on her murderous plan between between August and October last year.

She made contact with someone she believed could help make explosives online and provided two bags, one for each bomb.

Shaikh travelled to central London and stayed at a hotel as part of her reconnaissance.

She scoped out St Paul’s security and looked for the “best place” to plant a second explosive device, the court heard.

She also prepared the words of a pledge of allegiance to the self-described Islamic State, also known as Isis or Daesh.

Meanwhile, she shared terrorist propaganda via groups using the Telegram messaging app.

The defendant, who wore a black robe in the dock, spoke quietly as she entered her guilty pleas before Mr Justice Sweeney on Friday.

She was remanded in...

Continue reading on HuffPost