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| Bomb plotter faces life sentence | Bomb plotter faces life sentence |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Muslim convert who planned to detonate a dirty bomb and launch an attack on the London Underground is to be sentenced later. | A Muslim convert who planned to detonate a dirty bomb and launch an attack on the London Underground is to be sentenced later. |
| Dhiren Barot, 34, a former Hindu from London, plotted "massive explosions" in the US and UK, aiming to kill hundreds. | Dhiren Barot, 34, a former Hindu from London, plotted "massive explosions" in the US and UK, aiming to kill hundreds. |
| Last month Barot admitted conspiracy to murder. He will appear at Woolwich Crown Court and faces a life sentence. | |
| He is also wanted in the US on charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction there and in Yemen. | He is also wanted in the US on charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction there and in Yemen. |
| Barot, from Kingsbury, north-west London, is described by prosecutors as "a member or close associate" of al-Qaeda. He was arrested by armed police in August 2004. | Barot, from Kingsbury, north-west London, is described by prosecutors as "a member or close associate" of al-Qaeda. He was arrested by armed police in August 2004. |
| Edmund Lawson QC, prosecuting, said: "The plan was to carry out massive explosions here and in the USA, the principal object being to kill hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent people without warning." | Edmund Lawson QC, prosecuting, said: "The plan was to carry out massive explosions here and in the USA, the principal object being to kill hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent people without warning." |
| The gas limos project might be seen as the culmination of Barot's murderous plans Edmund Lawson QCProsecuting Profile: Dhiren Barot Round-up of prosecution case | The gas limos project might be seen as the culmination of Barot's murderous plans Edmund Lawson QCProsecuting Profile: Dhiren Barot Round-up of prosecution case |
| The BBC, The Times and the Associated Press news agency successfully challenged a judge's ruling that had threatened to prevent reporting of details from the two-day sentencing hearing. | The BBC, The Times and the Associated Press news agency successfully challenged a judge's ruling that had threatened to prevent reporting of details from the two-day sentencing hearing. |
| Judge Neil Butterfield had ruled that publishing details of the hearing could prejudice the trials of seven other men, which are due to take place next year. | Judge Neil Butterfield had ruled that publishing details of the hearing could prejudice the trials of seven other men, which are due to take place next year. |
| The court had earlier heard that by pleading guilty Barot had made no admission with regard to any of his seven co-defendants, who all deny involvement in the plot. | The court had earlier heard that by pleading guilty Barot had made no admission with regard to any of his seven co-defendants, who all deny involvement in the plot. |
| Mr Lawson told the court Barot had been planning 9/11-style synchronised attacks in Britain, which could have involved a dirty bomb and a gas attack on the Heathrow Express train service. | Mr Lawson told the court Barot had been planning 9/11-style synchronised attacks in Britain, which could have involved a dirty bomb and a gas attack on the Heathrow Express train service. |
| He had also plotted to detonate a bomb under the River Thames to flood the Tube network and potentially drown hundreds of commuters, said Mr Lawson. | He had also plotted to detonate a bomb under the River Thames to flood the Tube network and potentially drown hundreds of commuters, said Mr Lawson. |
| The prosecution said Barot had written: "Imagine the chaos that would be caused if a powerful explosion were to rip through here [London] and actually rupture the river itself. | The prosecution said Barot had written: "Imagine the chaos that would be caused if a powerful explosion were to rip through here [London] and actually rupture the river itself. |
| "That would cause pandemonium, what with the explosions, flooding, drowning etc that would occur." | "That would cause pandemonium, what with the explosions, flooding, drowning etc that would occur." |
| Other targets in Britain had included the Savoy Hotel and Waterloo, Paddington and King's Cross train stations, the prosecution said. | Other targets in Britain had included the Savoy Hotel and Waterloo, Paddington and King's Cross train stations, the prosecution said. |
| Barot also planned to strike the IMF and the World Bank in Washington DC, the New York Stock Exchange building, the Citigroup headquarters and the Prudential building in Newark, New Jersey. | Barot also planned to strike the IMF and the World Bank in Washington DC, the New York Stock Exchange building, the Citigroup headquarters and the Prudential building in Newark, New Jersey. |
| Barot admired the Madrid train bombings and wrote about creating "another black day for the enemies of Islam and a victory for the Muslims", Mr Lawson said. | Barot admired the Madrid train bombings and wrote about creating "another black day for the enemies of Islam and a victory for the Muslims", Mr Lawson said. |
| At the heart of Barot's plot was a scheme entitled "gas limos project", uncovered in a document signed by him and found in Pakistan, Mr Lawson said. | At the heart of Barot's plot was a scheme entitled "gas limos project", uncovered in a document signed by him and found in Pakistan, Mr Lawson said. |
| Barot had planned to fill limousines with gas cylinders and detonate them in underground car parks near financial institutions. | Barot had planned to fill limousines with gas cylinders and detonate them in underground car parks near financial institutions. |
| His plans for bombings in the US were initiated before the 11 September attacks, then shelved, but worked on as late as February 2004, Mr Lawson maintained. | His plans for bombings in the US were initiated before the 11 September attacks, then shelved, but worked on as late as February 2004, Mr Lawson maintained. |
| These US plans were then used in the planning of synchronised attacks in the UK, he added. | These US plans were then used in the planning of synchronised attacks in the UK, he added. |