Palestine activist found not guilty of £1+ million damage and attempt to cause explosion at BBC tower mast in alleged terrorist attack
Rabah Kherbane leading Jessie Smith represented GM, accused of attempting to cause an explosion at the Tacolneston tower mast transmitting station responsible for broadcasting signal for BBC television and radio channels. The mast had been set alight by thermite, a pyrotechnic chemical compound, which had caused more than £1m of damage and a temporary shutdown of BBC radio channels. The prosecution had indicated that if convicted on this allegation a terrorist connection would be sought at sentence against GM. The case was prosecuted by the CPS counter-terrorism division and counter-terrorism police.
Following a 12-day trial, GM was unanimously acquitted on three counts connected to more than £1m of fire damage at the tower mast, a fence on site breached to gain entry, and attempting to cause an explosion by an explosive substance at the transmitting station under s. 3(1)(a) of the Explosives Substances Act 1883.
The prosecution alleged GM had created thermite, and attempted to cause explosions at locations in Norwich City Centre and the tower mast in Wymondhom. The prosecution suggested GM was motivated by perceived bias of the BBC in its coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The prosecution relied on fingerprint and DNA evidence, seizures at GM’s home, and digital material on her computer including alleged manifesto and confession documents that claimed the author had not managed “to properly sabotage this tower before now.”
The defence placed the forensic material in context and undermined the suggested authorship of digital material amongst a large collection of files and social media activity. The case involved expert evidence on explosives, digital material, fingerprints/DNA evidence, CCTV imagery analysis, banking material, a mindset expert on Israel-Palestine, and cross-examination of civilian witnesses. The case also involved consideration of a substantial volume of unused material.
In addition to the principal counts on the tower mast incident, GM was unanimously acquitted on five other counts of attempting to cause an explosion by explosive substance at targets in Norwich City Centre. She was convicted by majority verdict of alternative minor criminal damage counts and for possession of items found at her home address under the Explosive Substances Act 1883.
Rabah and Jessie were instructed by Tayab Ali at Bindmans Solicitors.
The case has been reported in the national Press, including ongoing coverage during the trial on BBC News (link; link).
