An Islamist who attempted a bombing at a British hospital has been sentenced to a minimum of 37 years in prison. Mohammad Farooq, 29, was convicted after bringing an explosive device to St James’s Hospital in the city of Leeds, England, in January. The device, a pressure cooker bomb, contained double the explosives of those used in the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013.

Farooq’s plan was thwarted when he was dissuaded by patient Nathan Newby, whom he encountered at the hospital. Farooq initially aimed to attack an American military in North Yorkshire but was deterred by security measures. He then targeted St James’s Hospital, intending to detonate the bomb in a café during a shift change, and also attack people with knives and incite police to shoot him by brandishing an imitation firearm.

Prosecutors described Farooq as self-radicalized, seeking martyrdom. The court heard he wished to “kill as many nurses as possible.”

In handing down the life sentence, Judge Mrs. Cheema-Grubb commended Nathan Newby for his courage in “talking down” Farooq. She described Newby as an “extraordinary, ordinary man,” highlighting his intervention on January 20, 2023, as key in preventing a potential atrocity.

The sentencing took place at Sheffield Crown Court, where it was determined Farooq must serve at least 37 years before being eligible for release.

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