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Air plot accused 'expects prison' | Air plot accused 'expects prison' |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The alleged leader of a terrorist plot to blow up passenger planes has told a jury he does not expect to return home at the end of his trial. | The alleged leader of a terrorist plot to blow up passenger planes has told a jury he does not expect to return home at the end of his trial. |
Abdullah Ahmed Ali has told the court he planned an explosion at US airline offices at Heathrow's Terminal Three. | |
He said knew he would spend a long time in prison, but insisted the case against him had been exaggerated. | He said knew he would spend a long time in prison, but insisted the case against him had been exaggerated. |
Mr Ali, 27, is one of eight men who deny a plot to blow up passenger planes over the Atlantic in 2006. | |
'Out of proportion' | |
Prosecutors claim the defendants planned to make hydrogen peroxide bombs disguised as soft drinks to detonate in mid-air on at least seven transatlantic passenger planes flying out of Heathrow airport. | Prosecutors claim the defendants planned to make hydrogen peroxide bombs disguised as soft drinks to detonate in mid-air on at least seven transatlantic passenger planes flying out of Heathrow airport. |
Asked if he understood the consequences of his evidence, he said he expected to go to prison. | Asked if he understood the consequences of his evidence, he said he expected to go to prison. |
He said: "I understand that admitting to use an explosive device in a sensitive place such as an airport is an offence and I don't expect to go home after the trial, I expect to do time for that." | |
He added: "This whole thing has been blown up out of proportion. I'm not going to admit to something I didn't do and never intended to do." | |
'The truth' | |
Mr Ali said the explosive device he tried to make using a plastic bottle and a battery was not meant to do "any damage". | |
He said: "That's the truth. I've done something which is an offence, I'm putting my hand up to that." | |
At Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday he had admitted planning to set off a device at the terminal. | |
Mr Ali's co-defendants are: Assad Sarwar, 25, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Leyton, east London, Waheed Zaman, 24, and Arafat Waheed Khan, 27, both of Walthamstow, east London. | Mr Ali's co-defendants are: Assad Sarwar, 25, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Leyton, east London, Waheed Zaman, 24, and Arafat Waheed Khan, 27, both of Walthamstow, east London. |
Also charged are Mohammed Gulzar, 26, of Barking, east London, Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Stoke Newington, north London, and Umar Islam, 30, of Plaistow, east London. | Also charged are Mohammed Gulzar, 26, of Barking, east London, Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Stoke Newington, north London, and Umar Islam, 30, of Plaistow, east London. |
All eight deny two joint charges of conspiring to murder and to endanger aircraft. | All eight deny two joint charges of conspiring to murder and to endanger aircraft. |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |