This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22344054
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Six admit planning to bomb English Defence League rally | Six admit planning to bomb English Defence League rally |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Six men from Birmingham have pleaded guilty to planning a bomb attack on an English Defence League rally. | |
| Omar Mohammed Khan, Mohammed Hasseen, Anzal Hussain, Mohammed Saud, Zohaib Ahmed and Jewel Uddin all admitted preparing an act of terrorism between 1 May and 4 July 2012. | Omar Mohammed Khan, Mohammed Hasseen, Anzal Hussain, Mohammed Saud, Zohaib Ahmed and Jewel Uddin all admitted preparing an act of terrorism between 1 May and 4 July 2012. |
| Five of the group took a homemade bomb to an EDL rally in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, but arrived after it ended. | |
| They were caught after their car was stopped for having no insurance. | They were caught after their car was stopped for having no insurance. |
| Police and security services had no intelligence about the planned attack, although one of the would-be killers was under surveillance in relation to another terror plan. | |
| After the hearing at Woolwich Crown Court, Assistant Chief Constable of West Midlands Police Marcus Beale said: "Their capability was clear. | |
| "They created devices that would have certainly maimed and possibly killed people depending on how close they were. | |
| "Their intent was very, very clear. In my view they were very dangerous." | |
| 'Female devil' | |
| On 30 June 2012, the EDL held a rally in Dewsbury, despite attempts by the Muslim community in the town to have it stopped. | |
| Police estimated there could have been as many as 750 EDL supporters in attendance, as well as dozens of police officers and passers-by. | |
| As the rally was taking place, the five men travelled there in two cars, one of which was carrying a homemade bomb constructed out of a modified firework and containing 458 pieces of shrapnel. | |
| They also had two sawn-off shot guns, parts of other explosive devices, knives and a long printed message, dated the same day, describing their motivation and calling the Queen a "female devil". | |
| It said: "To the EDL (English Drunkards League). O enemies of Allah! We have heard and seen you openly insulting the final Messenger of Allah... you should know that for every action there is a reaction. | |
| "Today is a day of retaliation (especially) for your blasphemy of Allah and his Messenger Muhammad. We love death more than you love life. The penalty for blasphemy of Allah and his Messenger Muhammad is death." | |
| However, the men arrived after the EDL rally had broken up because the right-wing group had insufficient speakers to carry on later into the afternoon. | |
| The would-be attackers left the town but were stopped by a traffic police officer on the M1 motorway for having no car insurance. | |
| Days later, when the impounded vehicle was searched, the weapons were found - sparking a manhunt across Birmingham. | |
| Following their arrests, West Midlands Police realised that one of the men, Uddin, had been under partial counter-terrorism surveillance because detectives had been trying to establish for months whether or not he was dangerous. | |
| A second member of the group, Ahmed, had been separately charged with possession of jihadist magazines that included bomb-making instructions. He was on bail at the time of the failed bombing. | |
| The men changed their pleas from not guilty on Tuesday via videolink, and will be sentenced on 6 June. |