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02/04/2015
Jail For Man Caught In Possession Of Explosives
A man has been jailed for more than three years after he admitted possessing explosive substances.
Last year, police discovered a significant number of items in two properties in Edinburgh in April 2014. Faris Al-Khori, 62, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Explosive Substances Act 1883, Section 4 in February 2015, following the recovery of material from two flats in Fidra Court and Persevere Court. Today, (2 April), he was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh to three years and four months imprisonment.
The items were discovered following a fire within the rubbish chute at the Fidra Court flats on 18 April 2014. When the Fire Service gained entry to Al-Khori's home address, which was adjacent to the chute, police and army Explosive Ordnance Device (EOD) experts were called and the building was evacuated as the items were recovered. A subsequent search of another flat in Persevere Court uncovered further suspect items. This building was also evacuated while the EOD recovered the items.
Detective Superintendent David Gordon, who led the investigation, said: "This was a significant and complex inquiry for Police Scotland, to safely deal with these volatile items and seek to establish Al-Khori's motives for storing them.
"A thorough investigation by the Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit and Crown Office found no known links to terrorist offences and we believe Faris Al-Khori was acting independently. However, he showed utter disregard for the occupants of both buildings."
Lindsey Miller, the Crown Office's Procurator Fiscal for Organised Crime and Counter-Terrorism, added: "The conviction of Al-Khori is a good example of agencies working closely together to protect the public.
"Al-Khori possessed a significant number and volume of explosive substances across two properties in Edinburgh as well as recipes for explosives. We worked closely with Police Service of Scotland and other agencies to prepare the case to ensure that Al-Khori was brought to justice.
"I want to reassure the people of Scotland that we take any such offences extremely seriously, and our specialist prosecutors will continue to treat them as an absolute priority."
(JP/MH)
Last year, police discovered a significant number of items in two properties in Edinburgh in April 2014. Faris Al-Khori, 62, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Explosive Substances Act 1883, Section 4 in February 2015, following the recovery of material from two flats in Fidra Court and Persevere Court. Today, (2 April), he was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh to three years and four months imprisonment.
The items were discovered following a fire within the rubbish chute at the Fidra Court flats on 18 April 2014. When the Fire Service gained entry to Al-Khori's home address, which was adjacent to the chute, police and army Explosive Ordnance Device (EOD) experts were called and the building was evacuated as the items were recovered. A subsequent search of another flat in Persevere Court uncovered further suspect items. This building was also evacuated while the EOD recovered the items.
Detective Superintendent David Gordon, who led the investigation, said: "This was a significant and complex inquiry for Police Scotland, to safely deal with these volatile items and seek to establish Al-Khori's motives for storing them.
"A thorough investigation by the Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit and Crown Office found no known links to terrorist offences and we believe Faris Al-Khori was acting independently. However, he showed utter disregard for the occupants of both buildings."
Lindsey Miller, the Crown Office's Procurator Fiscal for Organised Crime and Counter-Terrorism, added: "The conviction of Al-Khori is a good example of agencies working closely together to protect the public.
"Al-Khori possessed a significant number and volume of explosive substances across two properties in Edinburgh as well as recipes for explosives. We worked closely with Police Service of Scotland and other agencies to prepare the case to ensure that Al-Khori was brought to justice.
"I want to reassure the people of Scotland that we take any such offences extremely seriously, and our specialist prosecutors will continue to treat them as an absolute priority."
(JP/MH)
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