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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Abid Naseer trial: MI5 spies disguised in court | Abid Naseer trial: MI5 spies disguised in court |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| MI5 agents, wearing wigs and make-up to hide their identities, have told a US jury how they tracked a man accused of a transatlantic bomb plot. | |
| Abid Naseer, who was extradited from the UK in 2013, is accused of plotting bomb attacks in Manchester and New York as part of an al Qaeda conspiracy. | Abid Naseer, who was extradited from the UK in 2013, is accused of plotting bomb attacks in Manchester and New York as part of an al Qaeda conspiracy. |
| He has pleaded not guilty and denied he was involved in any violent extremism. | He has pleaded not guilty and denied he was involved in any violent extremism. |
| A judge has made several rulings to protect the spies' identities, including modified court sketches. | A judge has made several rulings to protect the spies' identities, including modified court sketches. |
| Judge Raymond Dearie had previously approved the wigs and "light" make-up to protect the identifies of the officers and ordered courtroom sketch artists to further generalise their appearance over media organisation's objections. | Judge Raymond Dearie had previously approved the wigs and "light" make-up to protect the identifies of the officers and ordered courtroom sketch artists to further generalise their appearance over media organisation's objections. |
| Mr Naseer faces life in prison if convicted of the charges against him - providing and conspiring to provide material support to al Qaeda and conspiring to use a destructive device. | Mr Naseer faces life in prison if convicted of the charges against him - providing and conspiring to provide material support to al Qaeda and conspiring to use a destructive device. |
| Prosecutors have called the testimony of the MI5 agents essential, saying they tracked Mr Naseer in 2009 and were the only witnesses to his alleged preparation to attack a Manchester shopping centre. | Prosecutors have called the testimony of the MI5 agents essential, saying they tracked Mr Naseer in 2009 and were the only witnesses to his alleged preparation to attack a Manchester shopping centre. |
| Inside the courtroom - Nick Bryant, BBC News | Inside the courtroom - Nick Bryant, BBC News |
| In a courthouse in Brooklyn, there was the sort of make-up and hair ordinarily associated with theatrical productions on Broadway. | In a courthouse in Brooklyn, there was the sort of make-up and hair ordinarily associated with theatrical productions on Broadway. |
| The first MI5 agent who took the stand, known as Officer 1661, wore glasses, a jet-black wig and also a beard - though it was hard to tell whether the facial hair was real or artificial. Speaking in a northern English accent, he described how he had conducted surveillance in Liverpool and Manchester on the defendant Abid Naseer. | The first MI5 agent who took the stand, known as Officer 1661, wore glasses, a jet-black wig and also a beard - though it was hard to tell whether the facial hair was real or artificial. Speaking in a northern English accent, he described how he had conducted surveillance in Liverpool and Manchester on the defendant Abid Naseer. |
| Others agents who took the stand included a female agent, Officer 1488, who wore glasses and a shoulder length brown wig, and a third agent, who looked to be of an Asian background, also wore glasses and a black wig. | Others agents who took the stand included a female agent, Officer 1488, who wore glasses and a shoulder length brown wig, and a third agent, who looked to be of an Asian background, also wore glasses and a black wig. |
| Throughout the proceedings, they were watched by a representative of the British government, who himself wore a wig and glasses. He also scrutinised the drawings of court artists, who had been instructed by the judge to depict blank faces and generic hair. | Throughout the proceedings, they were watched by a representative of the British government, who himself wore a wig and glasses. He also scrutinised the drawings of court artists, who had been instructed by the judge to depict blank faces and generic hair. |
| The agents followed him as he visited a shopping centre in Manchester, allegedly the target of the plot, a mosque and other locations. | The agents followed him as he visited a shopping centre in Manchester, allegedly the target of the plot, a mosque and other locations. |
| He was previously arrested in the UK on suspicion of plotting an attack. | He was previously arrested in the UK on suspicion of plotting an attack. |
| No explosives were found but he and others were ordered to leave the country. Mr Naseer avoided deportation to Pakistan. | No explosives were found but he and others were ordered to leave the country. Mr Naseer avoided deportation to Pakistan. |
| US prosecutors have argued Mr Naseer was the leader of an al-Qaeda cell in Manchester and involved in planning bomb plots in multiple countries, including an alleged plan to bomb the New York city subway. | US prosecutors have argued Mr Naseer was the leader of an al-Qaeda cell in Manchester and involved in planning bomb plots in multiple countries, including an alleged plan to bomb the New York city subway. |
| Mr Naseer is representing himself and has said he went online and used email to find a wife, not contact an al-Qaeda handler, as prosecutors have alleged. | Mr Naseer is representing himself and has said he went online and used email to find a wife, not contact an al-Qaeda handler, as prosecutors have alleged. |
| But one officer told the court he had never seen Mr Naseer in the company of a woman. | But one officer told the court he had never seen Mr Naseer in the company of a woman. |
| On Tuesday, Mr Naseer had the opportunity to cross-examine the intelligence officer who had tracked him in the UK. | On Tuesday, Mr Naseer had the opportunity to cross-examine the intelligence officer who had tracked him in the UK. |
| "Did these movements cause any alarm or suspicion?" he asked. "No," the man, known as Officer 1661, replied. | "Did these movements cause any alarm or suspicion?" he asked. "No," the man, known as Officer 1661, replied. |
| Evidence from another MI5 spy was recorded last month and played in court in Brooklyn last week. | Evidence from another MI5 spy was recorded last month and played in court in Brooklyn last week. |
| The officer said he followed Abid Naseer onto a coach and observed him watching a video of the 9/11 attacks on his mobile phone. | The officer said he followed Abid Naseer onto a coach and observed him watching a video of the 9/11 attacks on his mobile phone. |
| UK officials arrested him at the request of US prosecutors several years ago. He was eventually deported after losing an appeal at the European Court of Human Rights. | UK officials arrested him at the request of US prosecutors several years ago. He was eventually deported after losing an appeal at the European Court of Human Rights. |