Terror Plotter Who Targeted London Stock Exchange Remains In UK Despite Failed Asylum Claim

A Bangladeshi national convicted of plotting to bomb the London Stock Exchange has been allowed to remain in the UK despite a failed asylum claim, a court ruling has revealed. The development has emerged from an immigration judgement concerning his wife and has raised questions about human rights law in terrorism cases.

Shah Rahman was one of four al-Qaeda-inspired extremists convicted in 2012 for the plot targeting London's financial centre. The group planned bombings inspired by al-Qaeda material.

The 2012 Plot and Conviction

The extremists met through radical groups and were stopped by anti-terror police. Their scheme aimed to strike the City of London, with the London Stock Exchange a key target.

Police found a handwritten list of targets including the London Stock Exchange, the US embassy, two rabbis and Boris Johnson. The plot was foiled by undercover officers. Rahman pleaded guilty to preparing acts of terrorism and was jailed.

The target list led to arrests and the plot was dismantled without any devices being assembled. All four were convicted in 2012, underscoring the threat of home-grown extremism. Rahman was released on licence several years later.

Asylum Rejected but Leave Granted on Human Rights Grounds

In 2017, Rahman applied for asylum. The claim was rejected under the Refugee Convention due to his terrorism conviction. He was granted restricted leave to remain instead, as deportation to Bangladesh would breach Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits torture or inhuman or degrading treatment.

The judgement states: 'He was granted restricted leave to remain in the United Kingdom on the basis that he could not be removed to Bangladesh without breach of his rights under Article 3 of the Human Rights Convention.'

This absolute provision has featured in other deportation cases involving foreign national offenders. Social media captured the reaction, with one post stating: 'London Stock Exchange bomb plotter was allowed to stay in UK! A terrorist denied asylum was granted leave to remain in Britain on human rights grounds, a court ruling reveals.'

Wife's Immigration Case and Licence Breaches

The ruling comes from proceedings about Rahman's wife, Parveen Purbhoo, a Mauritian national. They married in an Islamic ceremony in east London in June 2019. Purbhoo was stopped at Heathrow in 2021 with jihadist material on her phone.

A police report said she appeared 'blasé' about the images and wanted to learn about 'the atrocities'. She lived with Rahman until his recall to prison. Rahman was recalled in February 2022 for failing to notify probation of a mobile phone, bank account and email address. He used the phone for video calls with his wife.

Purbhoo was found complicit in the breaches by a forensic psychology report. She was permanently excluded from the UK in 2023 by the then home secretary Suella Braverman. This week a commission denied her appeal, calling her actions 'troubling and risky'.

As of April 2026, Rahman remains in the UK on restricted leave. The case highlights the complexities of balancing security and human rights for convicted terrorists. The ruling underscores the challenges authorities face in such cases.