Story by Kevin Stapleton
The trial has begun of the two men arrested following raids on Burngreave homes last Christmas. Farhad Salah, 23, of Brunswick Road and Andy Sami Star, 32, of Sheffield Road, Chesterfield are accused of engaging in the preparation of an act of terrorism. The trial is expected to last between three and four weeks.
Salah was arrested in his flat attached to the Fatima Centre, which has no connection with any of the alleged crimes.
Both men are Iraqi nationals, and, the prosecution allege, had declared allegiance to Islamic State. When the men’s properties were searched, amongst the items found were a black iPad in a white case, a yellow and black carrier bag.
Inside the carrier bag were a black tube and contents, a white tube with a red lid and contents, another white tube with contents, an envelope containing foil and a number of string fuses and two air rifles.
There were also cylinders made from plastic and foil, homemade fireworks, lengths of copper piping, a wine bottle containing sulphuric acid, air rifle components including a sound moderator (silencer) and a telescopic sight, two Samurai swords in scabbards, various powders and a variety of improvised homemade fuses.
Salah had communicated regularly on social media with known extremists, including sharing ‘graphic’ videos and had often offered ‘religious and logistical advice to the people he communicated with on Facebook’.
Eight days before he was arrested, Salah had sent one contact the following message:
“My only attempt is to find a way to carry out martyrdom operation with cars without driver everything is perfect only the programme is left.”
The trial continues.
