Newby, who was being handled for a chest an infection at the time, mentioned he approached Farooq outdoors the maternity ward after recognizing him fidgeting and looking out anxious.
“He looked out of place so I went over to see if he was alright, to see if I could cheer him up,” he defined.
“He was watching a bag all the time which was six feet away.”
Newby, from Leeds, persuaded Farooq to open it up and present him the contents – a strain cooker bomb with 10kg of explosives.
A trial at Sheffield Crown Court heard the bomb was estimated to be “double the size” of the system used within the 2013 Boston Marathon attack, which killed three and injured tons of.
“I thought there’s no way of getting away now so I might as well stay with the guy,” Newby mentioned.
“If I’d have run away he would have panicked.
“I caught with him, attempting to take his thoughts off what he needed to do, get to know him and what he was pondering and see if I may change it.”
