Pakistan-born ex-Taliban fighter gets life sentence in UK

A "very dangerous" Pakistan-born former Taliban fighter was today given four life sentences after he was found guilty of trying to recruit undercover officers for jihad and fight British soldiers in Afghanistan.

Munir Farooqi, 54, a Pakistani-born British citizen was at the centre of a plot to radicalise and persuade young men to "fight, kill and die" in a jihad in Afghanistan.

He and his accomplices were captured in a police sting when two undercover anti-terrorism police officers infiltrated his group.

Farooqi was given four life sentences and told he must serve a minimum of nine years before he can be considered for parole. He had been convicted of preparing for acts of terrorism, three counts of soliciting to murder and one count of dissemination of terrorist publications, following a four-month trial at the Manchester Crown Court.

His accomplice, Matthew Newton, 29, was found guilty of the same charges.

Israr Malik, 23, another accomplice, was convicted of two counts of soliciting to murder.

Malik of Fallowfield, Manchester, was also found guilty of preparing for acts of terrorism.

Newton was sentenced to six years, to serve a minimum of three years. Malik was given an indeterminate sentence and will be considered for parole in five years, the judge said.

The three men had denied all charges, the BBC reported.

A fourth defendant, Harris Farooqi, was acquitted.

Passing sentence, Justice Richard Henriques said: "You are in my judgment a very dangerous man, an extremist, a fundamentalist with a determination to fight abroad."