Target Princesshay Role Terrorist attack Start date May 22, 2008 | Perpetrator Nicky Reilly Number of deaths 0 Name 2008 attempted | |
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Location Exeter, Devon, England, UK Coordinates 50°43′29″N 3°31′36″W / 50.7248°N 3.5267°W / 50.7248; -3.5267Coordinates: 50°43′29″N 3°31′36″W / 50.7248°N 3.5267°W / 50.7248; -3.5267 | ||
Non-fatal injuries 1 (the bomber) | ||
The Exeter bombing was a failed bombing attempt taking place on 22 May 2008, at the Giraffe cafe and restaurant in Princesshay, Exeter, United Kingdom. Nicky Reilly (5 February 1986 – 19 October 2016), 22, from Plymouth, pleaded guilty on 15 October 2008 to launching a failed suicide attack. The attacker was the only person injured.
Contents
- Attack
- Evacuation
- Thursday 22 May 2008
- Friday 23 May
- Saturday 24 May
- Monday 26 May
- Aftermath
- Investigations
- Arrests
- Mohamed Abdulaziz Rashid Saeed Alim Nicky Reilly
- Other arrests
- References
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 report 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
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 High Street to Sidwell Street. Another device was found in the vicinity of the cafe, but was disabled by a bomb disposal team.
Thursday 22 May 2008
Friday 23 May
Saturday 24 May
Monday 26 May
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. 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 shops – except the restaurant involved, were re-opened as usual. The incident was estimated to have cost the local economy approximately £2.5 million.
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 constabulary with their investigations. Soon after the arrest police began searching at the Muslim Community Centre in St Jude's, Plymouth.
Arrests
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.
Mohamed Abdulaziz Rashid Saeed-Alim (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. It was subsequently reported that he had learning difficulties and Asperger's syndrome. After his conversion to Islam, he changed his name and came under the influence of religious extremists, who radicalised him into detonating the bomb in Exeter.
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.
On 15 October 2008 Reilly pleaded guilty to launching a failed suicide bid at the Giraffe restaurant in Exeter. Information released after his guilty plea revealed that Reilly was obsessed with martyrdom and wanted to cause as much death and injury as possible. On 30 January 2009 Reilly was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of at least 18 years.
On 20 October 2016 it was reported that 30-year-old Reilly had died at HMP Manchester. On 7 November an inquest into his death was opened and adjourned.
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. At 17:30 on 28 May 2008 a fourth man was detained for questioning.