Simon Gurney KC prosecutes Islamic State extremist
Simon Gurney KC was instructed by the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division to prosecute Muhammad Billal, a teenager who pledged allegiance to Islamic State and planned to carry out terrorist attacks, both in the United Kingdom and abroad.
Muhammad Billal, now 19 years old, an Italian national who lived in Nelson, Lancashire, ordered a firearm online, using cryptocurrency, and researched possible attack targets, including schools, churches and music venues in the North West. Soon after ordering the firearm, he decided to shift his focus, changing his plan to travel to Somalia to join an Islamic State training camp. Billal was arrested by anti-terrorism police at Manchester Airport, on his way to Somalia. His phone was analysed after his arrest and Police found terrorist literature, containing guidance on how to maximise the number of fatalities caused by an attack.
Billal pleaded guilty to two offences of preparation of terrorist acts and four counts of collecting information likely to be useful for a person committing an act of terrorism.
Billal was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday 3rd July 2026. In sentencing Billal to an 18 1/2 year extended sentence (of which he will serve 13 1/2 years in custody), Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said: “By your own account to the probation officer, you intended to kill members of the public and you hoped to be killed by police.” In relation to his plans to travel, she said “if you had gone to Somalia you would have killed innocent people.”
For media coverage of the case, see:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czde7rqjy8lo
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/teen-terrorist-jailed-isis-plot-37380221
If you are interested in instructing Simon Gurney KC, please contact David Wright, Director of Clerking on 0161 832 5701 or dwright@lincolnhousechambers.com