A black cab driver from Wembley who murdered an American soldier by planting a roadside bomb in Iraq has been given two life sentences today.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Sergeant First Class Randy Johnson was killed by a bomb (Pic credit: Central News)Sergeant First Class Randy Johnson was killed by a bomb (Pic credit: Central News) (Image: Archant)

Expert bomb maker Anis Sardar, 38, of Llanover Road, killed Sergeant First Class Randy Johnson as part of a terror campaign involving the use of improvised explosive devices (IED) near Baghdad in 2007.

One of Sardar’s bombs exploded directly under a US military the 34-year-old was travelling in.

He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

He was handed the concurrent life sentences, with minimum terms of 38 years and 25 years for murder and conspiracy to murder respectively following his conviction yesterday at Woolwich Crown Court.

Brent & Kilburn Times: The hunt is on to find Sajjad AdnanThe hunt is on to find Sajjad Adnan (Image: Archant)

Sardar, who passed the knowledge in 2013, told jurors he was in a ‘lawless warzone’ and only wanted to defend fellow Sunni Muslims against attacks from Shia militia forces.

When anti-terror police raided his home in September last year they found a bomb-making manual written in Arabic.

He originally denied any involvement and insisted he was studying Arabic in Damascus in Syria at the time they were built.

Sardar, who came to the UK from India in his teens, said he went to Iraq in 2006 after studying Arabic in Syria.

But after his fingerprints were found on tape pulled from two of the bombs he admitted helping Sajjad Adnan in the production of IEDs whilst in Iraq in 2007.

The University of Westminster dropout said he was sad about the death of Sgt Johnson, but claimed Tony Blair, Dick Cheney and George Bush were the real culprits.

A charge of conspiring to cause an explosion with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to murder together with Adnan, who is yet to be found, was left to lie on file.

Commander Richard Walton, Head of the Metropolitan Police’s counter terrorism command (SO15) said: “This sentence brings to an end an investigation that has spanned almost eight years and I hope that it will bring some comfort to the family of Sergeant Johnson, who tragically lost his life in the service of his country.

“This case demonstrates our resolve to convict anyone committing terrorism anywhere in the world, even if it takes us many years.

“I hope that it further stands as a deterrent to those thinking today that they can undertake terrorist activity overseas without fear of the law. Over time circumstances change, and when and where we have evidence we will seek to bring them before a court.

“I’d also like to praise the work of investigators, officers and scientists both here in the UK and in the US, who worked together to bring a terrorist and murderer to justice. Without their dedication and commitment throughout this investigation, this outcome would not have been possible.”