The "Least Cunning" Terrorist
The lawyer for Nicky Reilly called him the "least cunning" person ever to be convicted on terrorism charges. Indeed, Reilly proved so inept that even some members of the British public called for him to receive mental care rather than a prison sentence. Reilly, with an Asperger-syndrome diagnosis and an IQ of 83, tried to detonate a bomb at a restaurant in Exeter in the U.K. in early 2008. The bomb blew up prematurely while Reilly prepared in the bathroom, scarring him and leading to an 18-year prison term. Reilly's lawyer argued that Islamic extremists took advantage of Reilly's mental disabilities, and some in the British public agreed: "We are in a sad state of affairs indeed when the disabled are used as pawns in the great game of the 'war on terror,' " read one letter to the Guardian after the sentencing.