Would-be bombers’ hate note to Queen
Their plan to cause mass injury and death with bombs and other weapons at the EDL event in Dewsbury was foiled after it finished early, meaning they turned up two hours late.
And they now face jail after admitting preparing an act of terrorism during a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court in London yesterday.
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Hide AdDespite one of the six men being under surveillance in relation to another terrorist plot, it was only when one of their cars was seized for having no insurance that an array of weapons including shotguns, swords and a nail bomb was discovered.
As well as CDs of speeches by radical preacher Anwar al-Awlaki, there were also 10 copies of a hate-filled note addressed to the ‘enemies of Islam’, the Queen and Prime Minister David Cameron in the Renault Laguna traced to two of the would-be bombers.
It said: “This is a message to the enemies of Allah and his messenger. This is a message to the kafir (non-believer) female devil and self-proclaimed Queen Elizabeth and her accursed jubilee, fooling a nation of blind sheep to your self-proclaimed royalty and majesty.”
The document addressed the EDL directly, saying: “To the EDL (English Drunkards League). O enemies of Allah! We have heard and seen you openly insulting the final Messenger of Allah... you should know that for every action there is a reaction.
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Hide Ad“Today is a day of retaliation (especially) for your blasphemy of Allah and his Messenger Muhammad. We love death more than you love life. The penalty for blasphemy of Allah and his Messenger Muhammad is death.”
The men were named as Omar Mohammed Khan, 28, from Sparkhill, Zohaib Ahmed, 22, from Saltley, Mohammed Hasseen, 23 from Tyseley, Mohammed Saud, a gym worker, 22, from Smethwick, Anzal Hussain, a gym worker, 24, from Moseley, and Jewel Uddin, 27, from Sparkhill.
All six played five-a-side football together and went to the same gym at the Darul Ihsan Islamic centre, known as the Baker Street gym in Birmingham, where Saud and Hussain worked.
All of the men except Hasseen travelled to the rally. Another of the group, Zohaib Ahmed, was on bail for possession of terrorist documents at the time of the plot.
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Hide AdNeither police or security services had intelligence to suggest the men planned to stage an atrocity.
Police said they deliberately did not take their mobile phones with them on the day of the attack to try to avoid detection.
After the weapons were found in the Renault Laguna, counter-terrorism teams launched a fast-moving operation, tracing Khan, who had initially given a false name, and his passenger by scouring CCTV.
Detectives believe he made the nail bomb because his fingerprint was discovered on the sticky side of tape found on the device.
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Hide AdWest Midlands Police counter-terrorism unit also discovered that the Laguna was travelling with a gold Rover 25, and again used CCTV pictures to trace the three occupants.
Officers sifted through details of how the car was bought and who had insured it, as well as circulating pictures around police teams.
Khan, Hasseen and Uddin were arrested on July 3, they gave no-comment interviews and were charged on July 9.
Ahmed, Hussain and Saud were arrested after being stopped in a taxi on July 4, they also gave no comment interviews and were charged on July 10.
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Hide AdA statement released on behalf of Muslim organisations and mosques in Birmingham said they were determined that “the actions of a tiny minority will not undermine our commitment to ensure a diverse, and open society”.