Bradford MI5 Bomb Hoaxer Jailed

4 April 2012, 17:18 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A Bradford man who sent a fake bomb threat to MI5 has today been jailed for 16 months.

33 year old Ghulam Kibria, was tracked down by anti-terrorism officers after telling the security services that a bomb had been hidden in a Birmingham junior school.

The email to MI5, which included the name of Kibria's ex-wife, said: “There is a bomb planted in Prince Albert Junior and Infant School in Aston. There is nothing you can do - we can strike any time, anywhere.”

Kibria, of Rugby Place in Lidget Green, Bradford, pleaded guilty to communicating a bomb hoax at Birmingham Magistrates' Court in January.

He was sentenced by Judge John Maxwell at the city's Crown Court today.

At an earlier hearing, prosecutor David Devine told the court that the email was taken as a “clear and immediate threat” by the police and 700 pupils and 110 members of staff and parents were evacuated from the school.

Kibria's laptop was seized by police and a copy of the email was found on the hard drive.

Detective Inspector Neil Corrigan, from West Midlands Police, said: “Kibria's actions wasted a significant amount of police time and resources, and could have taken officers away from more urgent matters.

“It also caused considerable inconvenience to teachers, pupils and parents at the school.

“We hope the fact that Kibria has been given a custodial sentence will act as a warning to others not to act so irresponsibly.”