Brazilian Man's Fake Bomb Hoax at MI5

0:00Today is February 28th. This episode is brought to you by NordVPN. Fast, reliable, online privacy. Links in the episode description. Here's what's making headlines across the UK. A 32-year-old Brazilian man named Julian Valente Pereira has been convicted of a bomb hoax after placing a fake explosive outside MI5. Headquarters in Central London on January 1st. The device, made from rolled-up paper, masking tape and string, looked like dynamite with a fuse and was left propped against the doors alongside A. Lighter. This happened just one day after a judge rejected his final asylum appeal. Pereira targeted the MI5 building on purpose, knowing it was the heart of Britain's security services. He first tossed the object to the ground, then positioned it more prominently to draw eyes from CCTV cameras. Counterterrorism experts rushed in to check it out, confirming it was harmless, but treating it as a real threat initially. In court, the chief magistrate ruled that Pereira intended for people to believe it was genuine,

1:03especially since he admitted wanting maximum. Attention for his grievances against the home office. No one would have noticed, he said, if it just looked like paper and tape. The stunt caused a full security response and disrupted operations at the site. Pereira first came to the UK in July 2018 on a work permit, but overstayed since February 2019. He later sought asylum, alleging corruption in poor conditions, but all claims failed. He also tried a similar attention grab at Buckingham Palace, tossing in papers, and a knife-stabbed ID, and mentioned plans involving the archbishop of Cannebury. He's now in custody awaiting sentencing on April 1st, with the judge ordering mental health and risk assessments that could lead to prison time or a higher court. This case shits light on the tension some face in the asylum process.