'Dangerous' man to be sentenced over terror offence in Sheffield

A man branded ‘dangerous’ by counter terrorism police is to be sentenced over a terror offence in Sheffield tomorrow.
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Farhad Salah, aged 23, of Brunswick Road, Burngreave, Sheffield, was found guilty of preparing to commit an act of terrorism after a trial at Sheffield Crown Court earlier this month.

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He was arrested in an operation which is said to have resulted in the early disruption of a terror attack, although the intended target was never identified.

Farhad SalahFarhad Salah
Farhad Salah
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Salah, described as ‘dangerous’ and said to pose ‘a very real risk to the safety of our communities,’ expressed a desire to fight in Daesh occupied territory and was frustrated at being unable to travel as a result of his unsettled immigration status.

Counter Terrorism Policing North East said his frustration led to him exploring alternative ways of supporting Daesh.

Officers uncovered extensive evidence that Salah possessed an ‘extremist ideology,’ including Daesh propaganda films, in which much of the material was ‘extremely disturbing, involving horrific scenes of torture and murder’.

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Officers also recovered ‘deeply concerning messages which revealed an affiliation with Daesh and a belief in violent Jihad’.

Detective Chief Superintendent Martin Snowden, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: “Salah was in fact a dangerous individual, who was preparing for acts that may have resulted in loss of life.”

He added: “While our investigation did not establish the target of a potential attack, Salah posed a very real risk to the safety of our communities. We’re grateful we were able to disrupt his plans before he’d identified an opportunity to see them through.”

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Jurors failed to reach a verdict on Salah’s co-defendant, Chesterfield chip-shop owner Andy Star, 32, who was charged with the same offence.

Prosecutors claimed the pair were in the early stages of testing small improvised explosive devices when they were arrested in December 2017.

Star, of Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, claimed that gunpowder and other items found in his flat above his shop were all connected to his long-standing interest in fireworks.