2008 Exeter attempted bombing

Failed bombing attempt in England May 2013 February 2023 2008 Exeter attempted bombing Princesshay_explosion.jpg A police van guards the Giraffe cafe and restaurant. Exeter, Devon, England 50.7248 N 3.5267 W region:GB_type:landmark dms inline,title Princesshay shopping precinct 22 May 2008 12:50 UTC+1 0 1 (the bomber) Nail bomb Nicky Reilly The Exeter bombing was a failed bombing attempt that took place on 22 May 2008, at the Giraffe cafe and restaurant in Princesshay, Exeter, England. The bomber, Nicky Reilly (5 February 1986 – 19 October 2016http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/plymouth-nail-bomber-nicky-reilly-has-died/story-29826908-detail/story.html Plymouth nail bomber Nicky Reilly has died 20 October 2016 Plymouth Herald 2017-05-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20161022090609/http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/plymouth-nail-bomber-nicky-reilly-has-died/story-29826908-detail/story.html 22 October 2016 dead), 22, from Plymouth, who was the only person injured, pleaded guilty on 15 October 2008 to launching the attempted suicide attack.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7415470.stm Man held after city centre blast 22 May 2008 BBC News 2008-05-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20080526015629/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7415470.stm 26 May 2008 live Attack The attack took place at 12:50 while the bomber was inside a locked cubicle in the restaurant toilets. Witnesses in and around the restaurant reported hearing a loud bang. Most dismissed it, thinking the sound had come from a nearby building site. Another witness reported that it "sounded more like gunshots than a bomb, like a lightbulb exploding". Police were immediately called to the scene and the restaurant was evacuated. Evacuation thumb|Thousands were evacuated from the city centre. After the restaurant was evacuated, police evacuated and cordoned off the immediate area in fear of another device. This cordon was originally confined to the Princesshay area, but was later extended to cover the whole of the city centre, from the bottom of the High Street to Sidwell Street. Another device was found in the vicinity of the cafe, but was disabled by a bomb disposal team.http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=136993&command=displayContent&sourceNode=259754&contentPK=20702034&folderPk=118095&pNodeId=259755 Explosion update: Forensic team study two devices 23 May 2008 Express & Echo 2008-05-25August 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Timeline Thursday 22 May 2008 10:20: Nicky Reilly boards a double-decker Stagecoach bus number X38 in Bretonside bus station in Plymouth bound for Paris Street, Exeter.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7416642.stm Exeter bomb loaded with chemicals 23 May 2008 BBC News 2008-05-26 https://web.archive.org/web/20080526015644/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7416642.stm 26 May 2008 live 12:05: Reilly arrives in Exeter. 12:50: Police and ambulance services receive calls from members of the public reporting that a man has been injured in an explosion at the Giraffe cafe and restaurant in Princesshay. 13:00: A 100 m cordon is established and police begin to evacuate the area. 13:40: Police confirm it is believed an explosion has occurred. 14:00: The injured man is taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. 14:20: Bomb disposal officers arrive at the scene with sniffer dogs. 15:00: The city centre, including Princesshay, the High Street, Paris Street and part of Sidwell Street, is cordoned off and evacuated by police. 15:25: Police confirm that a man is in custody following the explosion. 16:15: Bomb disposal experts prepare to enter the Giraffe restaurant. Police reveal they have been called to three other reports of suspicious devices in the city centreat Primark, McDonald's and on a bicyclebut all have been found to be false alarms. 17:15: Forensic officers begin to examine the Giraffe restaurant after bomb disposal experts declare the scene safe. 18:50: Police reveal two devices have been found, one of which exploded and another that was made safe. 19:00: A phased lifting of the cordons begins and workers are allowed to return to shops and offices within the exclusion zone to collect their belongings, six hours after they were evacuated. Motorists are also able to retrieve their cars from the car parks in Princesshay and Southernhay. Friday 23 May 12:00: Police and business leaders hold a press conference regarding the previous day's events. 12:47: The police reveal CCTV images of Reilly and appeal for witnesses on the X38 bus from Plymouth Bretonside to Paris Street bus station, Exeter. ~13:00: A bomb disposal team arrive at Reilly's home in Plymouth as police investigate his flat.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7418317.stm Pair still questioned over blast 24 May 2008 BBC News 2008-05-26 https://web.archive.org/web/20080526221739/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7418317.stm 26 May 2008 live ~14:00: Part of Plymouth is sealed off after a suspect package is found. It is later found not to be a threat.http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20700933&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174 Area of city sealed off in bomb investigation 23 May 2008 The Herald 2008-05-26August 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes ~15:00: Armed police target two men who are drinking at the Bagatelle cafe in Plymouth city centre. One is arrested and the other is said to be helping police. Saturday 24 May ~11:00: Businesses in both cities reveal that custom is back to normal.http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=136993&command=displayContent&sourceNode=259754&contentPK=20704750&folderPk=118095&pNodeId=259755 Back in business after one terrible day 24 May 2008 Express & Echo 2008-05-26August 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Monday 26 May ~14:00: Nicky Reilly is discharged from hospital and into police custody.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7419982.stm Exeter blast suspect in custody 26 May 2008 BBC News 2008-05-26 https://web.archive.org/web/20080527114216/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7419982.stm 27 May 2008 livehttp://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=136993&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231418&home=yes&more_nodeId1=137002&contentPK=20715522 2PM update: Reilly out of hospital 26 May 2008 Express & Echo 2008-05-26August 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Aftermath The large cordon set up around the bomb site caused considerable disruption. Not only were shops along the High Street shut, but the city's main bus operator Stagecoach Devon had to re-route their buses causing traffic delays. The city's bus station was also evacuated.http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=137199&command=displayContent&sourceNode=136986&contentPK=20693038&folderPk=79934&pNodeId=137002 3pm update: Bus station evacuated as cordon enlarged 22 May 2008 Express & Echo 2008-05-26August 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes It was many hours after the attack that the cordon, which had stretched to include Exeter's bus station, was reduced, and many roads surrounding the shopping centre re-opened On Friday, all shopsexcept the restaurant involvedwere re-opened as usual.http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=136993&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231418&home=yes&more_nodeId1=137002&contentPK=20706245 It's business as usual after city bomb explosion 24 May 2008 Express & Echo 2008-05-26August 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes The incident was estimated to have cost the local economy approximately £2.5 million.http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=137199&command=displayContent&sourceNode=136986&contentPK=20700295&folderPk=79934&pNodeId=137002 Explosion update: Cost to business estimated at £2.5M 23 May 2008 Express & Echo 2008-05-26August 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Investigations A team of about twenty specialists (including forensic officers, intelligence experts and detectives) from Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism branch SO15, was brought in to help the Devon and Cornwall Police with their investigations. Soon after the arrest police began searching the Muslim Community Centre in St Jude's, Plymouth.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7424769.stm Third man quizzed over explosion 28 May 2008 BBC News 2008-05-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20080529163114/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7424769.stm 29 May 2008 live Arrests right|thumb|The armed arrest in Plymouth Since the explosion in Exeter a total of four arrests were made in connection with the incident. Under the Terrorism Act 2006 a person arrested for terrorism offences can be detained in police custody for 28 days without being charged.http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security/terrorism-and-the-law/terrorism-act-2006/ Terrorism Act 2006 Home Office 2008-05-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20080511202047/http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security/terrorism-and-the-law/terrorism-act-2006/ 11 May 2008 dead Nicky Reilly Nicky Raymond Reilly (later known as Mohamed Abdulaziz Rashid Saeed-Alim), aged 22, was born in Plymouth, where he lived with his mother, Kim. He had previously been detained in a mental health hospital.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3999058.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797084 https://web.archive.org/web/20081012200640/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3999058.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797084 dead 12 October 2008 MI5 fears jihadis will use mentally ill as suicide bombers 25 May 2008 The Times 2008-05-26 London David Leppard Abul Taher It was subsequently reported that he had learning difficulties and Asperger's syndrome.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-37721020 Exeter restaurant bomber Nicky Reilly dies in prison 20 October 2016 BBC News 20 October 2016 After his conversion to Islam, he changed his name and came under the influence of Pakistani religious extremists,https://www.thetimes.com/article/bomber-nicky-reilly-was-brainwashed-online-by-pakistani-extremists-grwfhtgbltw Bomber Nicky Reilly was brainwashed online by Pakistani extremists Fresco Adam 2008-10-16 The Times London 2018-12-30 en 0140-0460 who radicalised him into detonating the nail bomb in Exeter.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7415831.stm Blast suspect was 'radicalised' 23 May 2008 BBC News 2008-05-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20080526015634/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7415831.stm 26 May 2008 live On 3 June 2008, he was charged with three offences, one under the Terrorism Act 2006 and a further two under the Explosive Substances Act 1883. He appeared before magistrates in a secure court in Westminster, London on 4 June 2008 and was remanded in custody.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7434548.stm Man charged over Exeter explosion 3 June 2008 BBC News 2008-06-03 On 15 October 2008, Reilly pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and preparing a terrorist attack. Information released after his guilty plea revealed that Reilly was obsessed with martyrdom and wanted to cause as much death and injury as possible.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7671138.stm Man admits restaurant bomb attack 15 October 2008 BBC News 2008-10-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20081016155707/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7671138.stm 16 October 2008 live On 30 January 2009, Reilly was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7859887.stm Nail-bomber given life sentence BBC News 30 January 2009 23 January 2017 On 20 October 2016, it was reported that Reilly—then 30 years old—had died at HMP Manchester. On 7 November, an inquest into his death was opened and adjourned.http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/official-inquiry-into-death-of-plymouth-bomber-nicky-reilly-gets-under-way/story-29874702-detail/story.html Official inquiry into death of Plymouth bomber Nicky Reilly gets under way Plymouth Herald 7 November 2016 23 January 2017August 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes The inquest concluded in December 2018. It concluded that Reilly was found hanged from a light fitting in his cell and that it was likely that he acted impulsively without the intent to kill himself.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-46486852 Nicky Reilly 'didn't intend to kill himself' in jail BBC News 7 December 2018 13 April 2019 Other arrests On 23 May 2008, there was an evacuation of Plymouth city centre in which armed police arrested another person. A second individual was detained and helped police with their enquiries, but was later released.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7417349.stm Two quizzed over restaurant blast 23 May 2008 BBC News 2008-05-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20080526015649/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7417349.stm 26 May 2008 live At 17:30 on 28 May 2008, a fourth man was detained for questioning. One of the men detained under suspicion of being involved was Muslim preacher, Mansour Al-Anezi. Al-Anezi, who had been banned from preaching at his local Mosque following concerns by the local community due to his anti-Western views, was suspected of radicalising Reilly and was later associated with Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64785422 28 February 2023 Manchester bomber friend known to MI5, BBC reveals 28 February 2023 BBC News Devon References left Category:2008 in England 2008 attempted bombing Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 2008 Category:Attacks on restaurants in the United Kingdom Category:Attacks in the United Kingdom in 2008 Category:Building bombings in England Category:Crime in Devon Category:Failed terrorist attempts in the United Kingdom Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in 2008 Category:May 2008 crimes in Europe Category:May 2008 in the United Kingdom Category:Terrorist incidents in the United Kingdom in 2008 Category:Attacks on coffeehouses and cafés in Europe Category:Restaurant bombings in Europe Category:Nail bombings