Quotation

Nobody likes a bent copper. You can’t get them in the machines.

Via the Avon and Somerset Constabulary:

Police are asking to residents in Bristol to be vigilant following several incidents of copper theft.

In recent weeks copper piping has been stolen from a number of electricity sub-stations in North Bristol. Concentrated in the BS9 and BS10 areas offenders have been breaking into the substations and stealing the copper piping inside. To do this they are pulling out plugs carrying 11,000 volts which puts themselves at risk but can send extra voltage to nearby homes and damage electrical appliances.

Speaking about the offences, Detective Constable Matt Stanford from Southmead CID said: "These offences are mainly in the North Bristol area in places such as Henbury Road and Sea Mills. The people committing these offences need to be aware of the danger they are putting themselves in. They also put at risk homes in the surrounding area which could well damage televisions and other electrical equipment. Homeowners can us tackle the problem, and in doing so reduce the risk of their homes being affected by remaining vigilant and reporting anything suspicious to the police."

Anyone with information should contact Southmead CID on 0845 456 7000. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-org.uk - they never ask your name or trace your call. Call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org We never ask for your name or trace your call.

Copper is currently trading on the London Metals Exchange at USD $7,384.00 per tonne, which is about £4.87 a kilogram. Not really worth the danger, I think. For example:

John Roberts, aged 39, then fled from Park Mills before driving to his girlfriend's house in Bramley in a panic where his hair, skin and t-shirt began burning off.

Mr Roberts, of Winrose Avenue, Belle Isle, died in the burns unit at Pinderfields General Hospital 10 days later where he had 37 per cent burns.

That’s one of almost a million search results for “copper thief death”

The verdict is in. (Daily Mail)

Muslim convert [Andrew] Isa Ibrahim, 20, was convicted of making an explosive with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property.

He was also found guilty of making an 'improvised suicide vest' and a bomb, buying material to detonate it and doing 'reconnaissance' before the planned explosion.

Ibrahim, a hospital consultant's son from Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol, had earlier pleaded guilty to making an explosive substance but denied the other charges.

And the funny thing is, having heard some of the bizarre reports of the trial, it’s pretty clear that Andrew was (A) guilty of making explosives and (B) not really much of a terrorist. His actions throughout his adolescence and early adult life were focussed on seeking attention and building an identity, not promoting international jihad or any form of political world view. One month it was computer games, the next it was being a DJ, the next it was radical Islam. But his teddies were always there for him.

According to the Judge, Mr Justice Butterfield:

“Your preparation to inflict an atrocity on the innocent civilians of Bristol were advanced.

'You are a dangerous young man, well capable of acting on the views you held in the spring of 2008.

'You were, in my judgement, a lonely and angry young person at the time of these events, with a craving for attention.”

'He has been sentenced to “life” with a minimum of ten years to be served, so he’ll probably be out in about nine years allowing for time on remand which – perhaps unexpectedly - I think is about right.

[Defence Counsel] Mr Spens asked jurors to think about Ibrahim's reaction when he was arrested by armed police in the middle of Bristol and taken into custody.

"He said 'my mother's going to kill me'," said Mr Spens. "Is that the reaction of a jihadi bomber intercepted before he could carry out his divine bombing?

"That is the reaction of a 19-year-old badly caught out playing with explosives and not a die-hard extremist looking forward to his death – the idiot, for once in his life, knowing what a fool he had been."

[…] suicide bombers needed courage and religious conviction and a wish to end their lives. The defence said Ibrahim had none of these traits, and was not a devout Muslim; he took drugs and was pre-occupied with his sexual interest in women's feet and computer games. He demonstrated an interest to continue living, not die, they said, and was no terrorist.

Another chapter of local history ends.

Final thought: interesting to hear that Ibrahim had a reasonably proper Bristle accent.

Related Articles

• Evening Post: Bristol student guilty of bomb plot
• Terror Alert in Westbury-on-Trym
• Daily Telegraph – Andrew Ibrahim charged
• Jury Selection begins