UK terror plot suspects appear in court

A police van containing suspects arrives at City of Westminster Magistrate's Court. Picture / Reuters

For the first time yesterday those accused of plotting one of the worst acts of terrorism in British history appeared in public.

In a court packed with an army of lawyers, countless journalists and family members, the defendants appeared before senior district judge, Timothy Workman.

Clad in white T-shirts and light trousers, flanked by security guards, they heard the charges against them.

The eight young bearded men accused of trying to bring down transatlantic airliners reacted differently to the glare of the spotlight as they sat encased in the glass and pale wood dock. Some simply stared impassively ahead while others appeared more relaxed, smiling and occasionally waving at friends and relatives.

Alongside them three others - including a 17-year-old boy and the mother of an eight-month old baby son - were accused of crimes relating to the alleged plot.

Except to confirm their names and ages, they said little as Susan Hemming, head of the Counter Terrorism Division of the Crown Prosecution Service, read out the charges and teams of expensively-suited barristers and solicitors argued legal matters on their behalf.

The court heard that Ahmed Abdullah Ali, 25, of Walthamstow, east London; Tanvir Hussain, of no fixed abode; Umar Islam, 28, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire; Arafat Waheed Khan, 25, of Walthamstow; Assad Ali Sarwar, 26, of High Wycombe; Adam Khatib, 19, of Walthamstow; Ibrahim Savant, 25, of Walthamstow and Waheed Zaman, 22, of Walthamstow - all British Muslims - stood accused that between 1 January 2006 and 10 August 2006 they conspired with other persons to murder other persons under the Criminal Law Act 1977 as well as the new offence that between the same dates they intended to commit acts of terrorism engaged in conduct to give effect to their intention to smuggle the component parts of improvised explosive devices onto aircraft and assemble and detonate them on board under the Terrorism Act 2006.

They were all remanded in custody to appear before the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing on the 4 September.

In a blue hijab, a bespectacled Kossar Ali, 24, of Walthamstow, also appeared in the dock accused of having information which she knew or believed might be of material assistance in preventing the commission of another person, namely (her husband) Amhed Abdullah Ali aka Abdullah Ali Amhed Khan of an act of terrorism and failure to disclose it as soon as reasonably practicable. She was denied bail and remanded in custody until 29 August.

A 17-year-old - who cannot be named for legal reasons - also appeared in court though because of his young age he was allowed to sit next to his solicitor.

The judge heard he was accused that between 1 October 2005 and 10 August 2006 he had in his possession a book on improvised explosive devices, some suicide notes and wills with the identities of the persons prepared to commit acts of terrorism and a map of Afghanistan containing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. His case was adjourned until 29 August.

Mehran Hussain, 23, of Chingford, east London, was charged that between 23 September 2005 and 10 August 2006 with having information which he knew or believed might be of material assistance in preventing the commission of another person, namely Nabeel Hussain of an act of terrorism and failure to disclose it as soon as reasonably practicable. He was remanded in custody until 29 August.

While none entered formal pleas, several of their lawyers yesterday indicated that their clients would be denying the charges against them. In a closed session, lawyers for the defendants succeeded in having their addresses withheld for fear their families would suffer intimidation.

Yesterday, as the accused left City of Westminster magistrate's court in vans, 11 others remained in custody.

The two-hour hearing yesterday was told that the investigation - one of the largest in British criminal history - was still at its early stages.

On Monday Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Peter Clarke, said: "The scale is immense. Inquiries will span the globe. The enormity of the alleged plot will be matched only by our determination to follow every lead and line of inquiry."

- INDEPENDENT