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'Airline plotters played tennis' '7/7 inspired airline plotters'
(about 3 hours later)
Several members of a group accused of plotting to blow up transatlantic passenger planes played tennis as they finalised plans, a court has heard. Several members of a group accused of plotting to blow up passenger planes may have been inspired by the 2005 London bombings, a court has heard.
Undercover police watched at least three of the eight men play sport in east London in July 2006, Woolwich Crown Court was told. Jurors heard police found photographs at one man's home showing the suicide bombers who killed 52 people in attacks on the city's transport network.
The jury heard that games took place between visits to a flat in Walthamstow where liquid bombs were being prepared. Officers also found a martyrdom video by the leader of the 7 July gang, Woolwich Crown Court was told.
All eight men deny conspiring to murder and endangering aircraft in 2006.All eight men deny conspiring to murder and endangering aircraft in 2006.
Their arrests in August that year led to a ban on passengers carrying most liquids on board aircraft.Their arrests in August that year led to a ban on passengers carrying most liquids on board aircraft.
Pakistan trips 'Spilt blood'
Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, described one of the defendants, Mohammed Gulzar, 26, as a senior figure in the alleged plot. Outlining the prosecution case on the third day of the trial, Peter Wright QC said the photographs and video were found during a search of 29-year-old Umar Islam's home in Plaistow, east London.
The jury was told he flew into the UK from South Africa on 18 July 2006 on a false passport, and went on to miss his return flight home.
"He entered the UK as a radicalised Islamist pursuing a violent agenda," Mr Wright said.
EIGHT ACCUSED MEN TOP ROW OF PICTURE (L-R): Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27Assad Sarwar, 24Tanvir Hussain, 27Mohammed Gulzar, 26 BOTTOM ROW (L-R): Ibrahim Savant, 27Arafat Waheed Khan, 26Waheed Zaman, 23Umar Islam, 29 The 'airliners plot' allegationsEIGHT ACCUSED MEN TOP ROW OF PICTURE (L-R): Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27Assad Sarwar, 24Tanvir Hussain, 27Mohammed Gulzar, 26 BOTTOM ROW (L-R): Ibrahim Savant, 27Arafat Waheed Khan, 26Waheed Zaman, 23Umar Islam, 29 The 'airliners plot' allegations
The court also heard CDs about jihad and martyrdom were found at a house in Walthamstow, where 23-year-old Waheed Zaman, another of the alleged plotters, lived.
One CD was called 19 Martyrs - which Mr Wright said referred to those who died in the attacks on New York's World Trade Center in September 2001.
Two other CDs were called Crusaders Return and contained images of Osama Bin Laden, and a fourth was entitled Operation JH (or Jihad), he said.
On his arrest, Mr Zaman was carrying two mobile phones, one of which contained text messages referring to paradise and "blood spilt for the sake of Allah", the court was told.
Mr Wright described one of the defendants, Mohammed Gulzar, 26, as a senior figure in the alleged plot.
He entered the UK as a radicalised Islamist pursuing a violent agenda Peter Wright QC
The jury was told he flew into the UK from South Africa on 18 July 2006 on a false passport.
"He entered the UK as a radicalised Islamist pursuing a violent agenda," Mr Wright said.
"He led a Spartan existence so as not to draw attention to himself in the prelude of what would be a violent and bloody statement of intent.""He led a Spartan existence so as not to draw attention to himself in the prelude of what would be a violent and bloody statement of intent."
He and another seven men are accused of plotting to use home-made devices of liquid explosives, which would be smuggled on to aircraft and then used to blow up a number of transatlantic flights from London's Heathrow Airport. He and the other seven men are accused of plotting to use home-made devices of liquid explosives, which would be smuggled on to aircraft and then used to blow up a number of transatlantic flights from London's Heathrow Airport.
On his arrest at home in Barking, east London, police found Mr Gulzar had been sleeping on a mattress and only had a few personal possessions, including a satnav, camcorder and MP3 player, the court heard. On his arrest at home in Barking, east London, police found Mr Gulzar had been sleeping on a mattress and only had a few personal possessions, including a satellite navigation device, camcorder and MP3 player, the court heard.
Mr Wright told the court Mr Gulzar had arrived in the UK with a woman who only had a one-way ticket, and soon flew on to Belgium. Mr Wright told jurors Mr Gulzar had arrived in the UK with a woman who only had a one-way ticket, and soon flew on to Belgium.
He told police he had recently married her after they met at Islamabad airport, yet Mr Wright said there was little evidence the couple spent any time together. Defendants allegedly played tennis during visits to this flat
The marriage was, he said, little more than cover for his ulterior motive to join the conspiracy. He told police he had recently married her, yet Mr Wright said there was little evidence the couple spent any time together.
Mr Wright described another of the defendants, Arafat Waheed Khan, 26, as an intended suicide bomber and an "important conduit" between co-defendants, Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, and Assad Sarwar, 24. The marriage and the "honeymoon journey" to London was, he said, little more than cover for his ulterior motive to join the conspiracy.
The jury was told Mr Gulzar was not a "foot soldier" and had not intended to die on one of the targeted flights.
Arafat Waheed Khan, 26, however was an intended suicide bomber, Mr Wright said, as well as an "important conduit" between co-defendants, Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, and Assad Sarwar, 24.
He said Mr Khan's passport showed he had travelled to Pakistan between October 2005 and January 2006 at the same time as Mr Ali and Mr Sarwar.He said Mr Khan's passport showed he had travelled to Pakistan between October 2005 and January 2006 at the same time as Mr Ali and Mr Sarwar.
Mr Khan was directly involved in buying bomb-making equipment and appeared in two separate suicide videos, Mr Wright added.Mr Khan was directly involved in buying bomb-making equipment and appeared in two separate suicide videos, Mr Wright added.
'Spilt blood' Earlier, the jury heard some of the group played tennis as they finalised their plans.
The court also heard police officers found CDs about jihad and martyrdom in the Walthamstow home of 23-year-old Waheed Zaman, another of the alleged plotters, after his arrest on 10 August 2006. Undercover police watched Mr Ali, Mr Khan and Tanvir Hussain, 27, playing in July 2006 in between visits to a flat in Walthamstow where liquid bombs were being prepared and suicide videos recorded.
One CD was called 19 Martyrs - which Mr Wright said referred to those who lost their lived in the attacks on New York's World Trade Center in September 2001. The eighth defendant is Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Stoke Newington.
Two other CDs were called Crusaders Return and contained images of Osama Bin Laden, and a fourth was entitled Operation JH (or Jihad), he said.
On his arrest, Mr Zaman was carrying two mobile phones, one of which contained text messages referring to paradise and "blood spilt for the sake of Allah", the court was told.
The other defendants are Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Leyton, east London, Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Stoke Newington, and Umar Islam, aka Brian Young, 29, of Plaistow, east London.