Five men have been convicted
and given life sentences for a
bomb plot that could
have killed hundreds in Britain.
Jurors in the Old Bailey trial heard of plans
to target a shopping centre, nightclub and
the gas network with a fertiliser bomb.
The plot was smashed by police in 2004
The plot was smashed by police in 2004
and today, after a year-long trial, five men
have been convicted and given life sentences.
Omar Khyam, 25, from Crawley, West Sussex,
was found guilty of conspiring to cause
explosions likely to endanger life between
January 1 2003 and March 31 2004.
Also convicted were Waheed Mahmood, 35,
and Jawad Akbar, 23, also of Crawley;
Salahuddin Amin, 32, from Luton,
Bedfordshire; Anthony Garcia, 24, of
Barkingside, east London.
Two other men, Nabeel Hussain and Shujah
Mahmood, were found not guilty.
The Home Secretary, John Reid, said,
'Five dangerous terrorists are now behind
bars thanks to the hard work of our police
and security services. I want to thank the
men and women in the police and security
service who have worked extremely hard
to ensure the perpetrators of this plot have
been brought to justice and a major
terrorist attack that could have killed
and injured many people has been averted.'
The government has invested heavily in
counter-terrorism over the last five years.
The Security Service will have doubled in
size by 2008 but it is important to remember
that 100 per cent commitment can never
guarantee 100% success.
Today's case reminds us all that the terrorist
threat we face is real and severe.
'I want to take time now to reflect on the verdicts.'
(Home Office)
(Home Office)
