Muslim “Hid Bomb Manual under Burka,” Court Told
A Muslim woman who is not representative of her community hid a computer memory stick containing explosives manuals and terrorist plots under her burka on a flight into Britain, Manchester Crown Court was told.
Moroccan-born Houria Chahed Chentouf, who lives in Manchester, hid the memory stick by tying it to the inner sleeve of her burka.
She was caught by officers at Liverpool’s John Lennon airport two years ago when it fell out of her sleeve after she bent down to scratch her leg while being questioned at passport control. She had arrived on an easyJet flight from Amsterdam on 16 October last year.
The memory stick contained more than 7,000 files including an explosives manual for the “Brothers of the Mujahadeen,” the court heard.
It was described by police as “a mini encyclopaedia of weapons making” and amounted to a step-by-step guide on how to create a bomb. It also contained a list of suitable targets such as sports grounds, cinemas, colleges and bus stations, the court heard.
Astonishingly, the Muslim woman was released at the airport and only arrested the following day in Longsight, Manchester.
She was sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of terrorism but walked free from court “after serving her time on remand.”
Ms Chentouf, wearing a full burka, did not react when she was sentenced.
Other documents seized during the investigation included a note written by Ms Chentouf in which she suggested she was willing to blow up herself and her children for Islam. The note said: “Myself and my children would seek revenge, we would be bombs for the sake of this religion, may Allah forgive you.”
Another document contained information about the military use of electronics, the court heard, while searches of computers and laptops at her Manchester house found evidence she had had chat room conversations with militants about the roles of women and martyrdom.
A guide on establishing a terror cell, a manual setting out the principles of Jihad and a document about creating a training camp were also found on the 4GB flash drive.
