A 26-year-old Nigerian masters student, Somtochukwu Okwuoha faces jail and deportation after a jury found him guilty of making terrorist threats against Dundee University.
According to the BBC, the International Energy Student claimed he had enlisted ISIS, a terrorist group, to help bomb the university and told staff he planned to target the city in a chemical attack.
Okwuoha was found guilty of seven charges and was remanded in custody. He is due to be sentenced next month, December 2023. Sheriff William Wood will also consider the Crown’s motion for an order to deport Okwuoha to Nigeria.
A trial heard that Okwuoha told university staff he planned to carry out mass murder on the Dundee University campus. Eyewitnesses told the court how Okwuoha claimed he had a military background and was capable of making bombs and unleashing a deadly virus on the city.
One of the witnesses, Keith Mackle, 58, now retired director of student services, told Perth Sheriff Court he became aware of “serious concerns” in the autumn of 2021. He said staff members received emails making terrorist threats.
One said: “Expect a massive bomb explosion at the University of Dundee. I have contacted Isis terrorists to plant bombs on campus. I can assure you staff and students will die in great numbers. 9/11 will be a joke compared to what will happen.
“Blood will spill and flesh will be scattered.” Also, accommodation officer Shane Taylor told the court Okwuoha accused him of being racist and said he planned to wipe out Scottish people as revenge.
Okwuoha, a prisoner at Perth, was found guilty of threatening to murder staff at the university and commit terrorist crime between December 2021 and June 2022.
He was found guilty of threatening to commit mass murder, using biological weapons, revealing staff details to international authorities, and claiming to have planted bombs. He was also found guilty of threatening to behead police officers and detonate bombs he had planted at Dundee University.
