The 28 year-old UK citizen, David Michael Bodil, who was arrested in Bulgaria on January 10 on an Interpol Red Notice, remains in custody in Pleven, the local District Court ruled today, January 11. The decision is subject to appeal within 3 days to the Court of Appeal in Veliko Tarnovo.
UK national wanted by Interpol has been detained in a village in Bulgaria
The young man was arrested during a specialised police operation in the village of Lyubenovo in Nikopol municipality yesterday, January 10. British authorities are investigating him for suspected preparation of terrorist actions.
He moved to live at his grandfather Philip's house in the village of Lyubenovo at the end of November, 2022, after he stated on social media that he was being prosecuted for "something that was not even a crime and he would rather die in a foreign country than spend the rest of his life in prison in his homeland".
According to information from the prosecutor's office, blueprints for making and detonating a bomb were found in the house in the village of Lyubenovo.
It has emerged that Bodil was born on February 12, 1994 in Nottingham and last lived in Buxton, Derbyshire.
Pleven District Judge Rumen Lazarov reported that the home of the wanted man in the UK was searched following a warrant issued on March 2, 2020.
Substances in the form of liquid and powder were found there, including more than 1 kg of carbon, 10 kg of potassium nitrate, 1.2 kg of sulphur and 990 ml of acetone, which correspond to the composition of explosive black powder. They also matched the written ingredients for explosive compounds in the recipes, which were also found in Bodil's home.
Following this, a warrant was issued for his arrest by a judge in Westminster, London, on December 28 last year. It was for contravening the local Explosive Substances Act 1883 relating to the preparation and possession of explosives and provides for a penalty of life imprisonment.
Bulgarian Prosecutor Snezhana Georgieva reported that the breaches of UK law for which he is wanted by the authorities there also constitute an offence under the Criminal Code in Bulgaria. Moreover, he left his home country knowing that there were proceedings against him, suggesting that he might abscond.
A remand order was therefore requested. The appointed lawyer agreed with the prosecution's case and that this was the only possible course of action at this time.
Bodil said he did not want to be deported, tried and imprisoned in his home country. He added that what he was wanted and detained for was "just a hobby". "I have not harmed anyone and had no intention of doing so," he told the court.
The UK embassy and consular authorities will be notified of the Pleven court's decision for Bodil’s remand. The British man's extradition hearing will be tomorrow.
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