Modern Justice

An al-Qaeda convict has won a reduction in his prison term. Dhiren Barot had been jailed for up to 40 years for a dirty bomb plot after he admitted conspiracy to murder.

The Court of Appeal, headed by Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips, reduced the sentence to 30 years. They said that the 40 year sentence was for a terrorist who planned murder by a "viable" means. The plot by Barot did not amount to an actual attempt and it was not certain whether his plots would have succeeded and what the consequences of them might have been.

Barot had admitted to planning attacks in Britain and the US, using limousines packed with explosives and a radioactive dirty bomb. The appeal judges said that the limousine plan was "amateurish".

Sometimes I just feel like giving up. These judges have had there brains pickled by drinking too much port. For me they have lost the thread. Surely the intent to commit the deed is more important than the ability to commit the deed. Whether it was professional or Amateur is immaterial if he had had the chance he would have done it. One of the plus points for capital punishment is when it is carried out, appeals like this, tend to be somewhat irrelevant.