Home / Law

Terrorism Group

Owing to Tooks' unique collection of expertise, rare has been the post 9/11 terror trial that hasn't featured at least one member of the Tooks group - in the bigger trials several members of the team are usually instructed. Built over decades of specialist representation - from the Birmingham Six to the 7/7 bombings - Tooks position as the chambers of choice for these complex political cases is unrivalled. Work by the unit covers the full range of proceedings - trials, appeals, control order proceedings, SIAC - in which national security issues are raised.

Instrumental in redefining anti-terrorism laws, and ensuring that the political and religious issues arising are properly examined, Tooks is the leading Chambers in the field, often achieving outstanding results.

Post 9/11 cases that Tooks has been involved in include:

•  7/7 London Bombings trials of the 3 men acquitted of helping to plan the 7/7 London suicide bomb attacks;
• Airport Terror Plot trials of a number of British nationals accused of conspiring together to blow up a number of aircraft in mid air;
• The Glasgow Airport and London Car Bomb Plots, acquittal of the NHS doctor charged in connection with these plots;  
• R v Waris Ali, aquittal of the 18 year old accused of possessing books containing bomb making recipes and chemicals for the purpose of terrorism contrary to section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000;
• The Radical Preachers trial;
• The Muslim Soldier Beheading Plot, Amjad Mahmood acquitted.
• Bradford Students Propaganda, jailed over possession of extremist literature. Landmark ruling by the Court of Appeal quashing the convictions of the five men. Far-reaching effects in relation to section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000. In separate but related proceedings in R v K (2008), the Court of Appeal gave a strong judgment as to the way section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000 should be interpreted.
• Terrorist Training Camp trial, defendants alleged to have supplied training and indoctrination to the 21/7 bombers.
• The 21/7 London Bombers, jury unable to reach a verdict in relation to Adel Yahya and Manfo Asiedu. The one alleged bomber not convicted of that charge was defended by leading Counsel from Tooks; 
• Ceri Bullivant (2007) - in which a control order was successfully challenged on basis that there was insufficient evidence of a threat to national security;
• MT (Algeria) (2007) - in which the Court of Appeal considered the use of secret material before SIAC;
• The Fertiliser Bomb Plot, a large terror conspiracy involving the use of fertiliser to blow up UK targets. Nabeel Hussain, defended by leading Counsel from Tooks, was acquitted;
• The Ricin Plot, a bioterrorism plot on an underground railway station in which Ricin would have been manufactured and used for the attack. All defendants acquitted of the main plot alleged;
• R v Bourgass (2004) - The murder of Special Branch officer that led to the Ricin trial;
• Tahira Tabassum, Wife of first British Suicide Bomber allegedly witheld information under Terrorism Act in relation to suicide bombing in Israel. Acquitted;
• Gloucester Shoe bomber, Sajad Badat accused of plotting with Richard Reid;
• R v Safi (2003) - The second Stansted Hijack. Redefined the law on duress. Conviction quashed on Appeal.

Pre 9/11 cases involving the Crime Team include: 

• R v Maguire & Others (2003) - the case concerned a bombing campaign by the Real IRA which included the detonating of explosive devices at BBC Television Centre, Ealing Broadway and Birmingham;
• R v Abdallah (2001) - The 1st Stansted Hijacking of a Sudanese airliner by Iraqi dissidents. One of two leading authorities on duress. Won on Appeal;
• R v Hyland & Others (1999), was the first prosecution in this country of alleged members of the Real IRA, with the defendants charged with a conspiracy to plant incendiary bombs in London;
• R v Al Fawwaz & Others (2001) involved the extradition of persons accused of responsibility for the alleged Al Qaeda bombings of the US embassies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi in 1998;
• R v Kebilene & Others (1998) the first prosecution of persons accused of being members of the Algerian group, the GIA;
• The Brighton Bombing, perhaps the largest bombing when the whole Tory cabinet was nearly wiped out;
• R v Gannon & Others (1997), alleged IRA plot to disable the entire electricity supply to Greater London by bombing a number of electricity sub stations;
• R v Hindawi (1988) the attempted bombing of the Israeli airline El Al. The sentence received is the leading authority;
• R v Higgins & Others (1977) representing defendants charged with conspiracy to supply arms and equipment to IRA;
• R v O'Connell & Others (1976) representing Irish Republican Army members (the "Balcombe Street Four") charged with numerous offences of political violence;
• Birmingham Six & the Guildford Four miscarriages of justice appeal;

Further Information

For further information please contact our Senior Clerk

• Martin Parker 020 7842 7609 martin.parker@tooks.co.uk

Recent news

• Leave to Appeal Given in Landmark Torture Case
  On 30th June Rangzieb Ahmed, the only man ever convicted of directing Al Qaeda operations in the UK was given leave to appeal against his convictions. The grounds include the allegation that British complicity in his torture in Pakistan was so unconscionable that his trial should never have been allowed to take place.
  1 July 2010
• Man Who Posed as British Leader of al-Qaida Jailed
  Ishaq Kanmi, who called for the assassination of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown on a jihadi website, was sentenced to five years today.
  24 June 2010
• Government Setback Over ‘Secret Evidence’ for Control Orders
  Mr Justice Collins yesterday rejected the Government argument in the cases of two men, BC and BB
  12 November 2009
• Paul Troop and Jude Bunting Published in The Times
  "How the courts are halting the slow seep of secrecy," published in The Times newspaper today.
  15 October 2009
• Airline Bomb Plot – Verdicts and Sentences
  Three of the men found guilty at a previous trial of conspiracy to murder, were subsequently found guilty of plotting to suicide bomb transatlantic planes. The arrests of the men in August 2006 sparked tight restrictions on carrying liquids on to aircraft
  14 September 2009
• Doctor Cleared of Plot 'can stay'
  The Home Office is no longer seeking to deport a doctor cleared of plotting terror attacks in London and Glasgow
  7 August 2009
• 7/7 ‘helpers’ cleared
  The three men accused of helping to plan the 7/7 London suicide attacks were found not guilty by a jury at Kingston Crown Court.
  28 April 2009
• Stephen Kamlish QC successfully defends N.H.S. doctor charged in connection with the London & Glasgow car bomb plots.
  18 December 2008
• Michael Topolski Q.C. & Tim Moloney represent Briton in directing terrorism trial
  18 December 2008
• Teenager charged with terrorism acquitted at Leeds Crown Court.
  18 year old Waris Ali, accused of possessing books containing bomb making recipes and chemicals for the purpose of terrorism contrary to section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000 was acquitted of all charges by a jury at Leeds Crown after a 13 day trial. Waris from Dewsbury West Yorkshire claimed that the items he had were for the innocent purpose of making home- made fireworks and smoke bombs and a number of defence witnesses were called in support of his account.
  22 October 2008