Row over insurance scam led to North Yorkshire bomb hoax

A man claimed employees at a pizza shop were planning an Islamist bomb attack after the owner refused to help with an insurance scam, a court has heard.

Shamsul Islam, 23, is said to have made three hoax calls to police stating staff at Paragon Pizza, in Knaresborough North Yorkshire, had received bomb parts through the post.

York Crown Court heard police sealed off High Street in Knaresborough for four hours on 16 October as a result, the BBC reports.

Islam, from Leeds, denies three counts of communicating a bomb hoax.

Islam had been stopped by police while driving his brother’s car on 15 October 2013 and had given police his 22-year-old brother Habibul’s name and said he lived at a flat above Paragon Pizza.

The court heard how Habibul Islam had insured his car at the address in Knaresborough, despite living in Leeds, as it was cheaper, but when police rang the takeaway staff said he did not live there.

Prosecutor Paul Newcombe said Shamsul Islam made the hoax calls in revenge for the takeaway’s staff refusal to support the lie.

After the calls, armed officers searched the premises and strip-searched employees before realising it was a hoax.

It was only after police discovered a SIM card in the car that they were able to link it to phones used to make the threats.

Shamsul Islam pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

The court heard Habibul Islam, also from Leeds, has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and making a false statement to obtain insurance.