Jonathan Polnay KC prosecuted the sentencing of Mohammad Asim Bashir, who pleaded guilty to preparing an act of terrorism contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.
Bashir, 31, carried out hostile reconnaissance of the UK Defence Academy at Shrivenham alongside Jihad Al-Shamie in August 2025. Bashir, together with Al-Shamie, planned a terrorist attack on the Ministry of Defence site that would have caused multiple fatalities and had national and international impact.
The court heard that Bashir drove Al-Shamie on a 10-hour round trip to the Defence Academy to conduct reconnaissance in preparation for an attack. Evidence included CCTV footage, WhatsApp messages and voice notes demonstrating the pair's shared extremist ideology and discussions about violent jihad.
Following a two-day sentencing hearing, Bashir was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years at Manchester Crown Court on 23 July 2026.
Jonathan Polnay KC was instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service, Counter Terrorism Division.
The case has been widely reported in the press:
Jonathan Polnay KC