Would-be suicide bomber at airport 'not a terrorist'

A WOULD-BE suicide bomber who caused mayhem at Gatwick Airport when a hand grenade was found in his luggage during a routine customs search was yesterday remanded in custody pending a psychiatric report.

But the Old Bailey was told that Hazil Rahaman-Alan, 39, was not a terrorist and had suffered from depression. Nor could his grenade explode as the detonator was missing, the court heard.

Yet its discovery evacuated and closed down the airport's busy North Terminal for six hours on February 13, said Nicholas Dean QC, prosecuting.

Rahaman-Alan admitted having a high explosive M26 hand grenade between January 1 and February 13, 2003, with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury in Britain.

He also pleaded guilty to having a dangerous article - the hand grenade - on the plane.

He told police he wanted to blow himself up in an open area, possibly a park, to draw attention to the plight of others.

Interviewed after his arrest Rahaman-Alan said he had intended to find an open but public space to demonstrate with the grenade to attract the attention of the authorities and the media.

Mr Dean said: "He said the grenade would be his microphone to the world."

The Venezuelan said he wanted to help humanity and the plight of children.

"At one point he said he wished to help improve airport security. He denied being any sort of terrorist or having sympathy with a terrorist cause," said Mr Dean, adding that the motives were obscure.

For "reasons sometimes vague and confused" Rahaman-Alan had brought the hand grenade from Venezuela intending to make a public demonstration. He said what he planned to do and partly succeeded in doing "was highly dangerous and disruptive." Rahaman-Alan will appear for sentence on May 20. Deportation papers have been served and he was remanded in custody.