Inspired by today's aborted car bomb.

If a terrorist backs out of an attack before committing it and gives the plans up to police, surely he doesn't get charged with conspiracy to murder or whatever. Yes? OK.

So, if a group of suspected terrorists get caught before they actually manage to hurt anyone, how can they be prosecuted given
a). they didn't actually hurt anyone
b). the potential exists that they could have backed out, and
c). the potential that they could have been preparing 'potentially viable explosive devices' ironically?

By the same token, do I get the Nobel Prize for medicine for ineptly trying to cure AIDS with a mixture of Ibuprofen and Ribena?

Yes, so I had a couple of pints at lunch but this has not affected my ability to reason.