A 20-year-old man faces years in prison after being found guilty of possessing a bomb-making video that explained how to create explosives previously used in terror attacks across the UK. Birmingham Crown Court jurors took less than two hours to unanimously convict Adam Mahmood of possessing material likely to be useful for terrorism.
The week-long trial heard that Mahmood, who had more than 27,000 TikTok followers, actively requested another user to send him the instructional video through a messaging app. The defendant, from Platt Brook Way in Sheldon, Birmingham, told the court he initially watched the video on fast-forward and "didn't really think anything of it".
Video content and discovery
The 14-minute video, which was not in English but included translations, provided "a detailed guide" to producing an explosive substance with a detonator and shrapnel to make a complete bomb. Prosecutor Sahil Sinha told the court this type of explosive had been used in terrorist attacks, including those in Britain, and was "too unstable to have viable commercial use".
Police discovered the video file on Mahmood's phone following his arrest in April 2024, along with several knives and two sharpeners found in his bedroom. The court heard the footage was last accessed on 24 March of the previous year, having been created via the Telegram app in October 2023.
Weapons and social media presence
A photograph associated with Mahmood's social media account showed him wearing a balaclava alongside various weapons, including an axe and a sword. Another video found on his phone detailed "How Hamas rockets are made", and he had sent a message of thanks to the TikTok user who provided the bomb-making footage.
During police interviews, Mahmood acknowledged the weapons found at his address belonged to him but claimed they were linked to his interest in a Turkish television drama about the Ottoman empire. The former motor mechanics student was receiving universal credit when arrested.
Custody and sentencing
Judge Simon Drew KC rejected an application to extend Mahmood's tag-monitored bail, stating: "This is obviously an extremely serious case, as all of these cases are. I have seen material that your client engaged in looking at beyond the indictment."
The judge told Mahmood: "I have little if any choice but to remand you in custody. I have the public interest and public safety in mind and it seems to me that is the only proper conclusion I can reach." Sentencing is scheduled for 19 November, with defence barrister Ben Hargreaves noting his client faces a term "measured in years not months".
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
