This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6270237.stm

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 8 Version 9
Police monitored 'bomb plotters' Police monitored 'bomb plotters'
(about 2 hours later)
Five of the men on trial over alleged suicide bombing attempts in London on 21 July 2005 had been kept under surveillance, a court has heard. One of the alleged 21 July bombers came to the notice of police three times before the attacks, a court has heard.
Muktar Ibrahim, Hussein Osman, Yassin Omar, Ramzi Mohammed and Adel Yahya were all said to have been photographed by police some 15 months earlier. Muktar Said Ibrahim was photographed by surveillance officers alongside four of his five co-defendants at a camping trip in the lake district in May 2004.
Woolwich Crown Court was told they were among a group camping in Cumbria. Soon afterwards he was arrested for distributing "Islamic literature" in London's Oxford Street, and was later questioned by officers at Heathrow.
The men, along with Manfo Asiedu, deny conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions. All six men deny conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions.
Mr Yahya is accused of helping to plan the alleged attacks while the others are all said to have set out on 21 July 2005 to bomb London's transport network. class="bodl" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6272669.stm">In pictures: 'Terror' camp
Two Metropolitan Police officers were the first witnesses to begin giving evidence at the trial. Woolwich Crown Court was told that Mr Ibrahim was part of a group alongside Hussein Osman, Yassin Omar, Ramzi Mohammed and Adel Yahya camping in Cumbria 15 months before the alleged suicide bomb attacks.
THE ACCUSED Muktar Said Ibrahim, 28, from Stoke Newington, north LondonRamzi Mohammed, 25, from North Kensington, west LondonYassin Omar, 26, from New Southgate, north LondonHussein Osman, 28, of no fixed addressManfo Kwaku Asiedu, 33, of no fixed addressAdel Yahya, 24, of High Road, Tottenham, north London class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6268615.stm">'Suicide note' read to trial class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6269161.stm">London bomb plot 'a hoax' class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6272185.stm">Trial timeline Mr Yahya is accused of helping to plan the alleged attacks while the others and Manfo Asiedu are all said to have set out on 21 July 2005 to bomb London's transport network.
Photographs showed the group as they packed up and prepared to leave a campsite on a farm in the Elterwater area of the Lake District.Photographs showed the group as they packed up and prepared to leave a campsite on a farm in the Elterwater area of the Lake District.
The jury heard several men - including Mr Osman, Mr Yahya, Mr Mohammed and Mr Omar - appeared to line up at one stage and engage in Islamic prayer.The jury heard several men - including Mr Osman, Mr Yahya, Mr Mohammed and Mr Omar - appeared to line up at one stage and engage in Islamic prayer.
One officer said a group also seemed to be taking part in some kind of organised running activity. Two Metropolitan Police officers were the first witnesses to begin giving evidence at the trial.
THE ACCUSED Muktar Said Ibrahim, 28, from Stoke Newington, north LondonRamzi Mohammed, 25, from North Kensington, west LondonYassin Omar, 26, from New Southgate, north LondonHussein Osman, 28, of no fixed addressManfo Kwaku Asiedu, 33, of no fixed addressAdel Yahya, 24, of High Road, Tottenham, north London 'Suicide note' read to trial London bomb plot 'a hoax' Trial timeline
One officer said a group also seemed to be taking part in some kind of organised running activity while wearing rucksacks.
"They did not appear to be running randomly," he said."They did not appear to be running randomly," he said.
"It appeared as though there were a series of men in a line running up and down.""It appeared as though there were a series of men in a line running up and down."
Later, a friend of Mr Omar and Mr Yahya told the jury the men had become increasingly devout after attending London's Finsbury Park Mosque to hear prayers by the cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri. A few months later, Ibrahim was arrested outside Debenhams on Oxford Street in London for distributing "Islamic literature".
Soon after, in December 2004, he was questioned by Special Branch officers at London's Heathrow airport, while due to travel to Islamabad in Pakistan, the court heard.
Det Con Louis Chryssaphes said Ibrahim was carrying more than £2,000 in cash, plus a brand new video camera and video phone. He was also had a sleeping bag, cold weather clothes and anti-malarial tablets, the jury heard.
Mr Ibrahim and two companions said they were to attend a wedding and were allowed to travel to Pakistan the following day. The prosecution claimed the purpose of trip was "to take part in jihad or to train for it".
The jury also heard an imam tell the court how Mr Omar confronted him in a mosque after he had preached that suicide bombing was wrong.
Sayed Bukhari said Mr Omar challenged him in a "stressful" and "argumentative" manner after Mr Bukhari condemned a suicide attack in Palestine in 2005 before a congregation in Finchley, north London.
Mr Bukhari said Mr Omar told him: "Don't mislead the people."
A friend of Mr Omar and Mr Yahya told the jury the men had become increasingly devout after attending London's Finsbury Park Mosque to hear prayers by the cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri.
'9/11 beliefs''9/11 beliefs'
Steven Bentley said he had converted to Islam himself after encouragement by Mr Omar, who seemed to support the Taleban's regime in Afghanistan.Steven Bentley said he had converted to Islam himself after encouragement by Mr Omar, who seemed to support the Taleban's regime in Afghanistan.
Maps showing suspects' alleged movementsMaps showing suspects' alleged movements
Mr Omar also apparently did not believe the September 11 2001 attacks on the US were the work of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Mr Omar also apparently did not believe the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US were the work of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
Mr Bentley told the court: "He did say he didn't think it had been done by Osama bin Laden. He said Abu Hamza had said that it wasn't, and Abu Hamza knew Osama bin Laden." Mr Bentley told the court: "He did say he didn't think it had been done by Osama Bin Laden. He said Abu Hamza had said that it wasn't, and Abu Hamza knew Osama Bin Laden."
Meanwhile, a plain clothes police officer at Heathrow Airport recalled how he stopped Mr Ibrahim for questioning in December 2004 as he boarded a flight to Pakistan.
The prosecution has claimed the trip was "to take part in jihad or to train for it".
Det Con Louis Chryssaphes said Mr Ibrahim was found to be carrying more than £2,000, a sleeping bag, cold weather clothes and anti-malarial tablets.
Mr Ibrahim and two companions said they were to attend a wedding and were allowed to travel to Pakistan the following day.
The trial continues.The trial continues.