A MOTHER whose son was jailed for life after he got into a taxi and told the driver he had a bomb to kill English people said last night: "My boy's no terrorist."

Anthony Aldoescu was described in court as a Moslem, and told the terrified cabbie the bomb was strapped to his body.

But last night his mother, Maria Scott, of Alway, Newport, said her son was not Moslem and he had been made to look like a terrorist.

In later editions of yesterday's Argus we told how Aldoescu, 32, was jailed for life after pleading guilty to possession of a handgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life, and possession of the gun with intent to cause the taxi driver to fear violence.

He also admitted going into a nightclub in Gloucester and firing six live rounds, as well as holding the gun to a customer's chest.

But Mrs Scott, 52, said the incident was a "cry for help".

She said: "He is no Moslem and no terrorist. I brought him up, I should know.

"He was all mixed up. He'd had a number of family deaths that really hurt him.

"In particular, my father, George, died a few years ago. He was like a dad to him so that hit him hard.

"He just wanted to get away from it all. It was a cry for help."

Mrs Scott told how her son, who previously suffered with depression, never knew his biological Moslem father.

She said he had been brought up proud to be Welsh and would always watch the Wales international rugby and football games with her father.

She said: "He is Welsh through and through."

Aldoescu's six-year-old son, Andre, is now being looked after by Mrs Scott.

She said: "This whole thing - the way he's been portrayed - is disgusting, and it's really upset me and the family.

"Anthony is a brilliant son and a good father. He will do anything to help anybody. He's no terrorist.

"I know he's done wrong and he knows it too. But he's been painted in the wrong way.

"They (the prosecution) have seized on the current terror climate to make him look like something he isn't and make themselves look good."

Gloucester crown court was also told the taxi driver was terrified when Aldoescu said the bomb would go off if he went over speed bumps, and added: "God is going to take my life today and I'm going to be in heaven."