BRITAIN:"MARTYRDOM" VIDEOS glorying in alleged planned bomb attacks on aircraft leaving from London's Heathrow airport were shown in a British court yesterday in the trial of eight alleged members of a British terror cell.
The jury at the crown court in Woolwich, southeast London, also heard transcripts of videos in which the men talked of body parts "decorating the streets" and described the planned atrocity as "revenge" for American-led oppression of Muslims across the world.
The men are standing trial after their alleged plot was disrupted in August 2006, allegedly close to its execution date. They deny conspiracy to murder.
Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said the planes selected - destined for the US and Canada - were all due to take off from Heathrow airport within 2½ hours of each other. A covert listening device in an alleged bomb factory used by the cell recorded them discussing taking their wives and children on suicide missions.
The prosecution alleged that the terrorists also researched other targets to bomb and told the court that the suicide videos were to be released when the plans to explode liquid bombs on the planes had been carried out.
Yesterday a video was played of Abdulla Ali (27), who prosecutors allege was one of the three ringleaders.
In it Ali said that warnings from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to the West to leave Muslims alone had been ignored. An off-camera voice asked Ali if he had any concern for innocent people who would die in the attacks.
Ali replied: "You show more care and concern for animals than you do for the Muslim Ummah [ the Islamic nation] ... Stop meddling in our affairs and we will leave you alone. Otherwise expect floods of martyr operations against you."
All the videos used as a background the same black flag with Arabic writing. The prosecution said that such a flag was recovered from the car of Assad Sarwar, who prosecutors allege was a co-leader of the terror cell.
Searches of his home in High Wycombe found further "chilling" recordings hidden away. In one, Umar Islam said that British people were apathetic about their government's actions: "Most of you too busy, you know, watching Home and Away and EastEnders, complaining about the World Cup, drinking your alcohol, to even care about anything. That's all you seem to care about, and I know because I've come from that."
Most of the videos were found in the home of Sarwar. Computer memory sticks found when he was arrested suggested further attacks against vital national infrastructure were being researched. Wright said that other possible targets included a gas pipeline from Belgium to Britain, the UK national grid, the internet, the Canary Wharf office complex in east London, a gas terminal and an oil refinery.
But the court heard that Sarwar would not sacrifice his life, as he had a connection to international extremists. Mr Wright said: "Mr Sarwar's responsibility within this terrorist network was far too precious. It is the crown's case that he was one of those engaged in this plot with direct links to those overseas who may have a clear interest in the success of any such terrorist outrage struck in the name of Islam."
After police arrested the suspects, woods near Sarwar's home were searched. In a buried suitcase matching one he had bought weeks earlier were found syringes, chemicals to help explode liquid bombs and other items whose alleged purpose was to make the devices with which to attack the planes. At another woodland area more chemicals were found.
The prosecution said the alleged cell may have had access to 40 litres of hydrogen peroxide, which they allegedly planned to place in soft drinks bottles, and then turn into bombs once on the planes.
Wright said the cell had not produced a viable bomb, but said: "The successful construction of a viable device was only a matter of time." The jury were shown a video in which scientists recreated the men's planned bomb construction. -