The NHS doctor who tried to kill and maim thousands in car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow was jailed for at least 32 years yesterday.

Slumped in the dock at Woolwich Crown Court, Bilal Abdulla, 29, showed no emotion as he was told that he was a “religious extremist and bigot” with a distorted view of Islam.

Mr Justice Mackay told the junior doctor that he had squandered his privileged upbringing and career to wage a terrorist campaign against Britain.

“Many people felt and still feel strong opposition to the invasion of Iraq,” he said. “You do — you are sincere in that — and you have strong reasons for holding that view. But you were born with intelligence and you were born into a privileged and well-to-do position.”

Abdulla, an Iraqi who was born in Britain, was found guilty of conspiracy to murder and cause explosions on Tuesday. The judge said his radical religious and political beliefs meant he continued to be a danger to the public.

“All of the evidence makes you a very dangerous man,” the judge said. “You pose a high risk of serious harm to the British public in your present state of mind.”

Abdulla was the leader of a terrorist cell which tried to detonate car bombs in the West End of London and at Glasgow airport in June last year.

The doctor, along with Kafeel Ahmed, left car bombs near the Tiger Tiger nightclub in the West End. After the devices failed to detonate, the men decided to carry out a suicide attack on Glasgow airport.

Abdulla, tried to blow up a Jeep Cherokee packed with gas cylinders as Ahmed drove it into the airport terminal. Both men were wrestled to the ground and arrested. The only victim was Ahmed, an Indian PhD student, who suffered severe burns in the airport bombing and died in hospital.

The judge said that the men, who had made wills, had selected the nightclub because it was symbolic, busy and vulnerable. “It represented everything that you and Ahmed held in contempt and despised about Western culture: drink, association between the sexes, and music,” he said. “Your will documents both showed that.”

Referring to the airport attack, he said: “I am satisfied you both intended to die in the process and Kafeel duly did so. But I suspect your own courage deserted you at the last minute.”

The judge said Abdulla held a perverted and distorted view of Islam, including the justification of attacks on civilians. “Your views of religion dominate your thinking and are inextricably wound in with your political views,” he added. “One cannot distinguish the two.”

Abdulla’s friend Mohammed Asha, a 28-year-old Jordanian neurologist, who had been acquitted, accused the Government of “sour grapes” for not releasing him and allowing him to continue his medical career in Britain. He is being held in Belmarsh Prison while attempts are made to deport him.

Times Recommends

• What makes the perfect mum?
• To keep me stress-free, no more awareness days, please
• What do lottery winners buy?