White British Muslim convert jailed
Richard Dart, the middle class boy from Dorset who turned into an Islamic extremist, remained defiant to the bitter end as a judge gave him an extended jail sentence for being a dangerous terrorist today.
The 30-year-old son of teachers from Weymouth, who shocked his family when he became a militant Muslim, sat in the dock, clad in a skull cap and traditional dress, as he was sentenced after pleading guilty to preparing for acts of terrorism.
When ordered to rise by Mr Justice Simon, he refused, proclaiming: "I don't wish to stand up because I believe ruling and judgement is only for Allah.". As he was led away to start a sentence of 11 years, he nodded to a lone Islamic young man in the public gallery, his family nowhere to be seen.
Dart, the Old Bailey heard, had talked of terror attacks in the UK, of wreaking devastation on Wootton Bassett, a town that for many years gathered to honour the funeral corteges of dead soldiers, or MI5 and MI6 targets. He travelled to Pakistan, carrying thousands of pounds to pay for training with the local Taliban, a militant group known for mass suicide attacks on civilians, but failed and was forced to return to the UK.
His defence was that civilians were not his target, instead he had wanted to fight Nato soldiers in Afghanistan.
Today Dart, a former BBC security guard from Ealing, and his two fellow accomplices were jailed for a total of more than 20 years after each one admitted engaging in conduct in preparation of acts of terrorism between July 2010 and July 2012.
White Muslim convert defies judge as he is jailed for terror offences - Crime - UK - The Independent
Maybe he just likes wearing a dress. :mid:
