UK: Life Sentence for 29-Year-Old Who Planted Bomb at Maternity Hospital

A 29-year-old man was sentenced today (March 21, 2025) to life imprisonment for planting a bomb hidden in a speed bump at a maternity hospital with the intention of killing as many nurses as possible. Mohammed Farouk, inspired by the Islamic State, was described by the court as a ‘lone wolf’ who radicalized himself. He constructed the explosive device by copying the tactics from the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, which killed three people and injured hundreds. Farouk, a trainee nurse, targeted the maternity ward of St. James Hospital in Leeds, northern England. Initially, his goal was an American airbase, but he couldn’t access it due to security measures. Prosecutors stated that he aimed to kill as many nurses as possible but was stopped by a passerby smoking outside the hospital. ‘You were ready to commit the unthinkable, detonating a bomb in a hospital,’ the judge told Mohammed Farouk while sentencing him to life imprisonment, with eligibility for parole after 37 years. ‘Your responsibility is not diminished by the fact that you chickened out when persuaded by a passerby,’ she added. During the trial, prosecutors praised the bravery of the passerby. ‘He realized something was wrong and engaged in conversation instead of walking away. This simple action undoubtedly saved many lives.’