This article is from the source 'guardian' 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.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/06/islamic-extremists-attack-edl-rally

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Islamic extremists planned murderous attack on EDL rally, court told Islamic extremists planned murderous attack on EDL rally, court told
(about 4 hours later)
A planned terrorist attack on a far-right demonstration would have led to "a tit-for-tat spiral of violence and terror" that would have reverberated around the country, a court has heard.A planned terrorist attack on a far-right demonstration would have led to "a tit-for-tat spiral of violence and terror" that would have reverberated around the country, a court has heard.
Prosecutors at the Old Bailey said on Thursday that six men who have pleaded guilty to plotting an attack on a far-right English Defence League (EDL) demonstration in Dewsbury last year would have had a "powerful impact" on community relations that would still be felt today. Prosecutors said on Thursday that six men who have pleaded guilty to plotting an attack on a English Defence League demonstration in Dewsbury last year – using a home-made bomb, guns, knives and a machete – were trying to spark inter-community violence that would have had "a serious detrimental effect on race relations".
The court heard the mission was only abandoned when the group turned up after the EDL demonstration had finished. "There can be little doubt that a violent attack of the kind intended to be carried out would have been bound to draw a response in revenge from its target and most likely would have led to a tit-for-tat spiral of violence and terror," prosecutor Bobbie Cheema QC told the two-day sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey.
In April, Omar Khan, 28, Mohammed Saud, 23, Jewel Uddin, 27, Zohaib Ahmed, 22, and Anzal Hussain, 25, pleaded guilty at Woolwich crown court to engaging in preparation for acts of terrorism. The court heard the mission was abandoned only when the group turned up two hours after the EDL demonstration on June 30 last year had finished – and was only uncovered when a police officer carried out a routine stop on the one of the cars as the men made their way back to Birmingham.
A sixth man, Mohammed Hasseen, 23, pleaded guilty to the same offence and possessing a document likely to be of use to a person preparing or committing an act of terrorism. "Their plain and now admitted intention was to carry out a terrorist attack using a varied selection of offensive weapons: an improvised explosive device, two sawn-off shotguns, swords and knives," said Cheema.
Dozens of EDL members gathered in a pub near the court for the start of the two-day sentencing process, as the group's leader, Stephen Lennon, and his deputy, Kevin Carroll, briefly went into the public gallery of court 12 to watch the beginning of the hearing. Barriers had been erected in the street outside the building amid a heightened police presence. Omar Khan, 28, Mohammed Saud, 23, Jewel Uddin, 27, Zohaib Ahmed, 22, and Anzal Hussain, 25, pleaded guilty at Woolwich crown court in April to engaging in preparation for acts of terrorism. A sixth man, Mohammed Hasseen, 23, pleaded guilty to the same offence and possessing a document likely to be of use to a person preparing or committing an act of terrorism.
All the defendants, except Hasseen, had travelled in two cars from Birmingham to Dewsbury on the afternoon of 30 June with an arsenal of weapons hidden in holdalls in the boot of one of the cars. They were only caught on their return to Birmingham when their car was subjected to a routine stop on the M1. On Thursday, dozens of EDL supporters gathered in a pub near the court for the start of the two-day sentencing process. The group's leader, Stephen Lennon, and his deputy, Kevin Carroll, briefly went into the public gallery of court 12 to watch the beginning of the hearing. There was a heavy police presence and barriers had been erected in the street outside the building.
Prosecutor Bobbie Cheema QC told the court that police found thousands of pieces of "extreme ideological material" when they searched the men's homes. He said it was clear they intended to cause serious injury and death. The court heard that a couple of hours before the planned attack on the EDL demonstration, the would-be terrorists had searched for the terms "Worship for success in battle" and "Worship for success in Jihad" on the internet.
"In the months leading up to 30 June 2012 these six men, all ideologically committed to radical Islam, planned to execute a terrible vengeance on the English Defence League for what they perceived to be the EDL's recent blasphemous words and actions against the Prophet Muhammad and Islam. When they set off for Dewsbury, they had their arsenal of weapons in holdalls and 10 A4 printouts of a document addressed to David Cameron and the Queen that set out in chilling terms their determination to take revenge on the "enemies of Allah" – the "English Drunkards League".
"Their plain and now-admitted intention was to carry out a terrorist attack using a varied selection of offensive weapons: an improvised explosive device, two sawn-off shotguns, swords and knives." It stated: "We love death more than you love life … What we did today was a direct retaliation of your insulting of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) … It is of the greatest honour for us to do what we did and we all call upon the Muslim Youth to rise up & defend the honor of ALLAH & HIS Messenger."
Cheema told the court the men clearly wanted a violent confrontation with the EDL during which they intended to use weapons to cause "serious injuries and they anticipated, each one of them, that some victims may have died". Cheema said it was clear the group were planning "a terrible vengeance on the English Defence League for what they perceived to be the EDL's recent blasphemous words and actions against the Prophet Muhammad and Islam."
"It takes but little contemplation to realise that had the retaliatory attack gone ahead as planned it would have had a powerful impact on relations between different groups who for the most part live peacefully alongside each other in the UK, and that impact would probably have still been reverberating today. The EDL has held a number of virulently anti-Muslim demonstrations in towns and cities across the country since it was formed in 2009 and an Islamic community centre that was burned down this week had "EDL" scrawled on the wall.
"There can be little doubt that a violent attack of the kind intended to be carried out would have been bound to draw a response in revenge from its target and most likely would have led to a tit-for-tat spiral of violence and terror. The defendants anticipated as much." The court heard that the rally in Dewsbury had been due to finish at 3pm or 4pm but the headline speaker did not turn up. When the would-be attackers arrived at 4pm, the EDL supporters – numbering between 400 and 700, according to the police – had already left. The men drove around the town to the sites where the demonstration had passed and then, after stopping at a chip shop and mosque, made their way back to Birmingham.
Cheema said that if the men had not been caught they may well have gone on to attack another demonstration. The failed plot may never have been discovered had it not been for a traffic officer who decided to carry out a routine stop on one of the cars as it headed back to Birmingham along the M1 motorway. The gang had given the wrong registration number when they purchased car insurance over the phone earlier that day.
"There is no reason to doubt that had they not been caught, these six men would have pursued their aim of retaliation and proceeded to carry out their plans on a subsequent occasion." The car was seized and on the following Monday morning, staff at the compound discovered the weapons. A full-scale search involving hundreds of counterterrorism officers began. Within 48 hours all six men had been arrested.
Cheema told the court that the defendants were a "tight and cohesive group", dismissing earlier suggestions that they were disorganised or shambolic. She said thousands of pieces of "extreme ideological material" were found during searches of the men's homes, including videos showing hooded fighters planting a roadside explosive device and files containing advice on how to carry out a successful terrorist attack.
One of the men – Khan – had a green A4 notebook in his bedroom with "This belongs to Omar Khan so don't touch" written on the cover. It contained passages suggesting that jihad is an obligation.
The Old Bailey heard that the group had carried out extensive planning ahead of the attempted attack, researching EDL demonstrations and information on Lennon – who also uses the name Tommy Robinson – as far back as 2010.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday.