A patient in the United Kingdom who intervened to prevent a bombing at a hospital has revealed he hugged the man who was planning the attack to help calm him down.
Nathan Newby, who has since been awarded the George Medal by King Charles III, spent nearly two hours persuading Mohammad Farooq to abandon his plan at St James’ Hospital in 2023.
In his first interview, the 35-year-old said: “I hate going into hospitals but on that day, I was in there for a reason and it was not to get better; I was in there because that was happening.”
Farooq, who worked at the hospital, was later convicted of preparing acts of terrorism and sentenced to a minimum of 37 years in prison.
Newby, who had been receiving treatment for a chest infection, said he stepped outside for a vape and some fresh air when he noticed Farooq near the maternity ward acting nervously.
“He looked out of place so I went over to see if he was alright, to see if I could cheer him up,” he said, adding that Farooq kept glancing at a bag placed a few feet away.
During the trial at Sheffield Crown Court, it was revealed the explosive device was believed to be “double the size” of the one used in the Boston Marathon bombing, which killed three people and injured hundreds.
“I thought there’s no way of getting away now so I might as well stay with the guy,” Newby explained. “If I’d have run away he would have panicked.
“I stuck with him, trying to take his mind off what he wanted to do, get to know him and what he was thinking and see if I could change it.”
Farooq, described in court as a self-radicalised “lone-wolf terrorist”, reportedly harboured grievances against colleagues and planned to “kill as many nurses as possible” in the early hours of January 20, 2023.
Newby engaged him in conversation, even asking about the potential blast radius, and managed to convince him to move away from the hospital entrance.
“The hospital is normally busy, people in and out all night,” he said. “There was no one there at all, it was just me and him. There was no one there I could send a signal to.”
The court heard Farooq had consumed anti-West propaganda online and downloaded extremist manuals, including instructions on bomb-making. He was also found carrying knives and an imitation firearm at the time of his arrest.
In a bid to calm him further, Newby opened up about his own struggles.
“He asked me to stand up and give him a hug, so I said, ‘yes, have a hug mate’.
“He then said, ‘I want you to phone the police before I change my mind’.”
Using Farooq’s phone, Newby contacted emergency services, discreetly recording the situation after the call handler activated a mobile app.
During the call, he asked Farooq to reveal any weapons, prompting him to show the imitation gun, which Newby persuaded him to place on a nearby bench.
Armed officers arrived shortly after and took Farooq into custody.
The court was also told that Farooq had initially planned to target RAF Menwith Hill, a major intelligence base, before switching to the less secure hospital.
Presiding judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, described Newby as an “extraordinary man”, adding that his testimony was among the most remarkable the court had ever heard.
Prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford said Newby’s “simple act of kindness almost certainly saved many lives”.
Paul Greenwood of Counter Terrorism Policing North East said he had never seen an attack so narrowly prevented, noting that Newby was “the right person in the right place at the right time”.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Newby said the reality only struck him after returning to his hospital bed.
“It’s just crazy that if I hadn’t been in hospital, if I hadn’t got that chest infection and been rushed to hospital, I’d have been at home, he would have gone for it and I would have been seeing it on the news.”
He received the George Medal during a ceremony at St James’s Palace, an honour recognising exceptional civilian bravery.
“I like to think that anybody would do that,” he said. “Some people are strong and some people handle things in different ways but it’s just me, it’s just how I am.”
Speaking after the event, his mother, Tracey Newby, said the family only learned of his actions through television reports and expressed pride in his recognition.
“He deserves it, he is a good guy,” she said.
