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Islamists admit terror plot charges

Posted on: Thu February 02, 2012

Four radical Islamists have admitted plotting a major pre-Christmas terror attack on the London Stock Exchange, in a conspiracy also involving four men from Stoke.

The al Qaida-inspired fundamentalist group wanted to send five mail bombs to various targets over the 2010 festive period and discussed launching a "Mumbai-style" atrocity.

A hand-written target list found at one of the defendant\'s homes listed the names and addresses of London Mayor Boris Johnson, two rabbis, the American Embassy and the Stock Exchange. The police counter-terror operation which led to their arrests was the biggest of 2010.

A total of nine men admitted various terror offences at Woolwich Crown Court and will be sentenced next week. "Lynchpin" Mohammed Chowdhury, 21, and his London accomplice Shah Rahman, 28, were followed by undercover detectives on November 28, 2010, observing Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye and the Palace of Westminster.

The conspiracy also involved three defendants from Cardiff and four from Stoke. It was stopped by undercover anti-terror police before firm dates could be set for attacks.

The terrorists met through their membership of various hardcore Islamic groups and met at specially arranged meetings held in parks in a bid to make surveillance difficult. The nine, all British nationals, were due to stand trial but changed their pleas at the last minute.

Chowdhury, of Stanliff House, Tower Hamlets, and Rahman, 28, of St Bernard\'s Road, Newham, admitted preparing for acts of terrorism by planning to plant an improvised explosive device in the toilets of the London Stock Exchange. They admitted the crime after the judge, Mr Justice Wilkie, indicated Chowdhury would receive 18 and a half years and Rahman 17 years. The duo will only serve about six years because five are served on licence, prisoners only serve half their term as standard and they have already been behind bars for more than 12 months.

Brothers Gurukanth Desai, 30, of Albert Street, and Abdul Miah, 25, of Ninian Park Road, both Cardiff, also admitted the same count.

Usman Khan, 20, of Persia Walk, Mohammed Shahjahan 27, of Burmarsh Walk, and Nazam Hussain, 26, of Grove Street, all Stoke, admitted engaging in the preparation of terrorism by attending operational meetings in Roath Park, Cardiff, on November 7 and in a Newport country park on December 12. Omar Latif, 28, of Neville Street, Cardiff, admitted attending the meetings with the intention of assisting others to prepare or commit acts of terrorism.

The fourth Stoke defendant, Mohibur Rahman, admitted possessing an article for a terrorist purpose on December 20, 2010. The 27-year-old, of North Road, admitted being in possession of two editions of the al Qaida magazine Inspire for terrorist purposes.

Courtesy : Samaa News