Gang was 'planning terror attacks'
Gang was 'planning terror attacks'
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Tuesday, 21, Mar 2006 06:07
A court has today heard how a gang was preparing to launch a terror attack on Britain after obtaining the materials needed to make bombs.
Opening the case for the prosecution at the Old Bailey today, David Waters QC said the seven men on trial were in a position to create a bomb that could have led to the deaths of many Britons.
Anthony Garcia (otherwise known as Rahman Adam), 23, of Ilford, east London; Nabeel Hussain, 20, of Horley, Surrey; Salahuddin Amin, 31, from Luton, Bedfordshire; and Omar Khyam, 24, Waheed Mahmood, 34, Shujah Mahmood, 19, and Jawad Akbar, 22, all from Crawley, West Sussex; appeared in court today.
They are all charged with formulating a plot between January 2003 and March 2004 to "cause by explosive substances, an explosion or explosions of a nature likely to endanger life".
Three of the men, Mr Khyam, Mr Garcia and Mr Hussain, are accused of possessing 600kg of ammonium fertiliser with the aim to use it for an act of terrorism.
Mr Khyam and Shuja Mahmood are also charged with being in possession of aluminium powder, which can be used to make bombs.
All seven men deny all the charges against them.
Speaking today, Mr Waters said: "All that remained before [the accused's] plans achieved their ultimate goal was for the target or targets to be finally agreed.
"They played their respective roles in a plan to acquire the ingredients necessary to manufacture a bomb or bombs which would be deployed at the very least to destroy strategic plant within the United Kingdom, or more realistically to kill and injure citizens of the UK.
"They were intercepted before the plot could reach fruition."
The trial, which is expected to last for many months, continues.