Nathan Newby talked a lone-wolf terrorist, Mohammad Farooq, out of detonating a bomb in a maternity hospital. Mohammad Farooq brought a homemade pressure cooker bomb with 10kg of explosives from £600 worth of fireworks into St James's Hospital in Leeds. Nathan Newby's actions stopped a 'deadly' and 'catastrophic event', according to multiple reports.
Mohammad Farooq planned to trigger an evacuation to lure patients and staff into a trap. He was there to commit mass murder at the entrance to the maternity wing, killing nurses and potentially patients, according to research sources. Farooq had changed his plan and was waiting for a shift change to go inside and explode the bomb, research indicates.
Phone the police before I change my mind.
Mohammad Farooq was a self-radicalised lone-wolf terrorist inspired by the so-called Islamic State group. He targeted the hospital due to a long-running grievance with nurses on his ward, having previously worked there as a clinical support worker. Mohammad Farooq was jailed for life with a minimum term of 37 years for the planned attack, major media reports confirm.
Nathan Newby was a patient at the hospital and stepped outside for a vape and fresh air when he noticed Farooq. Nathan Newby spotted Mohammad Farooq looking upset and agitated outside St James's Hospital in Leeds on 20 January 2023, research sources say. Nathan Newby approached Farooq to check if he was alright, starting a conversation.
Kill as many nurses as possible.
Nathan Newby, 35, began chatting to Farooq as he was 'fiddling about, swaying back and forth' and initially thought he might be upset about a sick relative, according to research. About an hour into their conversation, Farooq confessed he was there for revenge and revealed he had a bomb. Farooq showed Nathan Newby the bomb after being asked.
Mohammad Farooq pointed a gun at Nathan Newby for about three or four seconds before handing it over, major media reports indicate. Mohammad Farooq was armed with two knives and an imitation firearm, according to multiple reports. Nathan Newby noticed a suspicious bag about 6ft away, research sources say.
He seemed like he might want a chat or had some bad news, so I went over and asked how it were. And it just went from there really.
Nathan Newby's primary concern was to move Farooq away from the building to avoid causing havoc. Nathan Newby spent several hours trying to persuade Farooq not to kill loads of nurses, major media reports state. Nathan Newby stayed calm to avoid panicking Farooq into detonating the device, despite the risk to his own life, according to research.
Nathan Newby was figuring out how to coax Farooq further from the building as the suicide attacker opened up about the likely radius of the bomb, research indicates. Farooq opened the bag and showed Nathan Newby the device, which was a DIY bomb rigged up while sitting in his car outside Roundhay Park, according to research. Farooq had sent a bomb threat by text to an off-duty nurse in the hope of getting people out to the car park, but they didn't see it for nearly an hour.
He looked out of place; I just went over to see if he was alright. Have a chat, see if I could cheer him up and make him feel better.
Nathan Newby used Farooq's phone to call the police because his own phone had died, major media reports confirm. The police were alerted and responded to the scene, leading to Farooq's arrest.
Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Nathan Newby is 'an extraordinary, ordinary man whose decency and kindness on January 20th 2023 prevented an atrocity in a maternity wing of a major British hospital'. She made this statement during sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court, attributing the prevention of the attack directly to Newby's intervention.
He was watching every nurse come out when they were going for their fags. He was watching this bag all the time.
Nathan Newby is receiving the George Medal, the second-highest civilian gallantry award, for his actions. The award, approved by King Charles III, recognizes exceptional bravery in circumstances of extreme danger. It highlights how his calm demeanor under threat averted a major terrorist incident.
Nathan Newby is 35 years old and from Leeds. He was receiving treatment at the hospital and still had an IV line in his arm, research sources indicate. The specifics of his medical condition and how it might have influenced his actions during the incident are not publicly known.
Like a pressure cooker - like a slow cooker with wires out the top.
Mohammad Farooq asked Nathan Newby for a cuddle during their interaction, according to multiple reports. Nathan Newby's kindness stopped a terror plot, major media reports state. Nathan Newby described the encounter as starting when he went over to see if Farooq wanted a chat or had some bad news, according to Sky News - UK.
Security concerns have been raised about how Farooq was able to enter the hospital grounds with a substantial explosive device undetected. The investigation has not detailed whether there were lapses in hospital security protocols that facilitated his access. Additionally, the specific evidence presented at trial regarding Farooq's inspiration from Islamic State and his detailed grievance with nurses has not been fully disclosed to the public.
I stuck with him, trying to take his mind off what he wanted to do, get to know him, see if I could change it.
Broader reactions have emphasized the need for vigilance in public spaces, particularly healthcare facilities. Nathan Newby described his role modestly, saying he was just in the right place at the right time, according to Daily Mirror - News. The incident has prompted reviews of counter-terrorism strategies for lone-actor threats in the UK.
I thought Farooq was 'probably a nice guy' who was 'going through bad things at the time'.
I was just in the right place at the right time.
An extraordinary, ordinary man whose decency and kindness on January 20th 2023 prevented an atrocity in a maternity wing of a major British hospital.