”Martyrdom” videos glorying in alleged planned bomb attacks on aircraft leaving from Heathrow were shown in court on Friday in the trial of eight alleged members of a British terror cell.
The jury at Woolwich Crown Court also heard transcripts of videos in which the men talked of body parts ”decorating the streets” and described the planned atrocity as ”revenge” for American-led oppression of Muslims across the world.
The men are standing trial after their alleged plot was disrupted in August 2006, allegedly close to its execution date. They deny conspiracy to murder.
Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said the planes selected — destined for the United States and Canada — were all due to take off from Heathrow airport within two-and-a-half hours of each other. A covert listening device in an alleged bomb factory used by the cell recorded them discussing taking their wives and children on suicide missions.
The prosecution alleged that the terrorists also researched other targets to bomb, and that one plot leader had connections overseas. Wright told the court that the suicide videos were to be released when the plans to explode liquid bombs on the planes had been carried out.
On Friday a video was played of Abdulla Ali (27), who the crown alleges was one of the three ringleaders of the plot.
In the video Ali said that warnings from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to the West to leave Muslims alone had been ignored. An off-camera voice asked Ali if he had any concern for innocent people who would die in the planned coordinated attacks. Ali replied: ”You show more care and concern for animals than you do for the Muslim Ummah [the Islamic nation]. … Stop meddling in our affairs and we will leave you alone. Otherwise expect floods of martyr operations against you.”
All the videos used as a background the same black flag with Arabic writing. The prosecution said that such a flag was recovered from the car of Assad Sarwar, who the crown alleges was a co-leader of the terror cell. When Sarwar was arrested on August 9 2006, a Sony handicam was found, as well as a video cassette. On that were suicide videos recorded by defendants Umar Islam and Arafat Khan, Wright told the court.
Searches of Sarwar’s High Wycombe home found further ”chilling” recordings hidden away. Wright told the jury: ”The recordings of those men were significant, we say, because they amounted to recordings in which each of these men contemplated losing their lives in some violent act perpetrated by them as a perceived act of martyrdom.”
One video featured Waheed Zaman, a former student of biomedical sciences at London Metropolitan University between 2003 and 2006 and a former president of the Islamic Society at the university.
The jury saw a video of Zaman saying: ”I have been educated to a high standard and had it not been Allah had blessed me with this mission, I could have lived a life of ease but instead chose to fight for the sake of Allah’s Deen [his religion].”
In another video Umar Islam said that British people were apathetic about their government’s actions: ”Most of you [are] too busy, you know, watching Home and Away and East Enders, complaining about the World Cup, drinking your alcohol, to even care anything. That’s all you seem to care about, and I know because I’ve come from that.” Having played the videos, Wright remarked to the jury: ”We suggest the tenor of these remarks leaves little room for ambiguity.”
Most of the videos were found in the home of Sarwar. Computer memory sticks found when he was arrested suggested further attacks against vital national infrastructure were being researched. Wright said that other possible targets included a gas pipeline from Belgium to Britain, the national grid, the internet, Canary Wharf, a gas terminal and an oil refinery.
But the court heard that Sarwar would not sacrifice his life, as he had a connection to international extremists. Wright said: ”Mr Sarwar’s responsibility within this terrorist network was far too precious. It is the crown’s case that he was one of those engaged in this plot with direct links to those overseas who may have a clear interest in the success of any such terrorist outrage struck in the name of Islam.”
Wright said of Sarwar: ”The horizon in respect of Sarwar’s terrorist ambitions was limitless.” After police arrested the suspects, woods near Sarwar’s home were searched. In a partly buried suitcase matching one he had bought weeks earlier were found syringes, chemicals to help explode liquid bombs and other items whose alleged purpose was to make the devices with which to attack the planes. At another woodland area more chemicals were found.
The prosecution said the alleged cell may have had access to 40 litres of hydrogen peroxide, which they allegedly planned to place in soft drinks bottles, and then turn into bombs once on the planes. Wright said the cell had not produced a viable bomb, but said: ”The successful construction of a viable device was only a matter of time.” The jury were shown a video in which scientists recreated the men’s planned bomb construction. The videos showed the bombs exploding.
Wright said that as police listened in on conversations in a bomb factory used by the alleged terrorists, they heard two of the cell discuss a train bombing in which one participant wanted to take his child.
Islam said his wife might join the plot if it was a ”significant operation”, Wright said. Ali was overheard considering taking his child but said his wife ”would not agree to it”.
The jury heard that a top-floor flat in Forest Road, Walthamstow, north-east London, was transformed into an alleged bomb factory within days of it being bought in July 2006 for £138 000 in cash.
It contained the paraphernalia needed to produce a device to be smuggled through security, Wright said. Photographs of soft-drink bottles in the kitchen cupboards were shown to the jury.
Three other men — Tamvir Hussain, Mohammed Gulzar, and Ibrahim Savant — also deny conspiracy to murder. — Â