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| Al-Qaeda plotter jailed for life | Al-Qaeda plotter jailed for life |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| An al-Qaeda plotter who planned to kill thousands of people in the UK and US has been sentenced to life and told he must serve at least 40 years in jail. | An al-Qaeda plotter who planned to kill thousands of people in the UK and US has been sentenced to life and told he must serve at least 40 years in jail. |
| Dhiren Barot, 34 and from London, had admitted conspiracy to murder. He was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court. | Dhiren Barot, 34 and from London, had admitted conspiracy to murder. He was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court. |
| Edmund Lawson QC, prosecuting, told the court Barot had planned to unleash a "memorable black day" of terror. | Edmund Lawson QC, prosecuting, told the court Barot had planned to unleash a "memorable black day" of terror. |
| Mr Justice Butterfield said it could have caused carnage on a "colossal and unprecedented scale" if successful. | Mr Justice Butterfield said it could have caused carnage on a "colossal and unprecedented scale" if successful. |
| 'No noble cause' | 'No noble cause' |
| Barot, a former Hindu who converted to Islam, is also wanted by US authorities over charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction in the US and in Yemen. | Barot, a former Hindu who converted to Islam, is also wanted by US authorities over charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction in the US and in Yemen. |
| The judge told him: "This was no noble cause. Your plans were to bring indiscriminate carnage, bloodshed and butchery first in Washington, New York and Newark, and thereafter the UK on a colossal and unprecedented scale." | The judge told him: "This was no noble cause. Your plans were to bring indiscriminate carnage, bloodshed and butchery first in Washington, New York and Newark, and thereafter the UK on a colossal and unprecedented scale." |
| Home Secretary John Reid said the case showed "the terrorist threat remains very real and serious". | |
| The prosecution conceded the police had not found any evidence that materials had been acquired to carry out the plans, but said officers had also failed to find weapons to which Barot had access. | The prosecution conceded the police had not found any evidence that materials had been acquired to carry out the plans, but said officers had also failed to find weapons to which Barot had access. |
| For well over two years we have been unable to show the British public the reality of the threat they faced from this man DAC Peter ClarkeScotland Yard Profile: Dhiren Barot Round-up of prosecution case | For well over two years we have been unable to show the British public the reality of the threat they faced from this man DAC Peter ClarkeScotland Yard Profile: Dhiren Barot Round-up of prosecution case |
| Defence lawyer Ian Macdonald QC referred to the main part of the conspiracy as, in Barot's words, a "rough presentation". | Defence lawyer Ian Macdonald QC referred to the main part of the conspiracy as, in Barot's words, a "rough presentation". |
| Mr Justice Butterfield said Barot had not achieved any of his terror goals and that, on the evidence, he had not "moved to the final stages of achieving them". But he added that this was no thanks to him. | Mr Justice Butterfield said Barot had not achieved any of his terror goals and that, on the evidence, he had not "moved to the final stages of achieving them". But he added that this was no thanks to him. |
| Mass damage | Mass damage |
| The court heard Barot prepared meticulous plans for al-Qaeda figures on a series of synchronised attacks in the UK. | The court heard Barot prepared meticulous plans for al-Qaeda figures on a series of synchronised attacks in the UK. |
| "The central plan was for the construction and deployment in a basement car park underneath a building of an improvised explosive device using gas cylinders hidden in limousines," Mr Lawson said. | "The central plan was for the construction and deployment in a basement car park underneath a building of an improvised explosive device using gas cylinders hidden in limousines," Mr Lawson said. |
| Files found on Barot's computers revealed the planning | Files found on Barot's computers revealed the planning |
| Mr Lawson added it was to be launched simultaneously with other attacks including a dirty bomb, an attack on trains, and the hijacking of petrol tankers to be rammed into a target. | Mr Lawson added it was to be launched simultaneously with other attacks including a dirty bomb, an attack on trains, and the hijacking of petrol tankers to be rammed into a target. |
| In the document, Barot had written his primary objective of the project was to "inflict mass damage and chaos". | In the document, Barot had written his primary objective of the project was to "inflict mass damage and chaos". |
| The court heard Barot's plot also included plans to detonate a bomb under the River Thames to flood the Tube network and potentially drown hundreds of commuters. | The court heard Barot's plot also included plans to detonate a bomb under the River Thames to flood the Tube network and potentially drown hundreds of commuters. |
| Barot also planned to strike a number of US financial institutions. His plans for bombings in the US were initiated before the 11 September attacks, and Barot is not thought to have had any advance knowledge of them. | Barot also planned to strike a number of US financial institutions. His plans for bombings in the US were initiated before the 11 September attacks, and Barot is not thought to have had any advance knowledge of them. |
| Barot's plans were found on a laptop computer seized during a raid on a house in Gujrat, Pakistan, in July 2004. The Muslim convert, from Kingsbury, north-west London, was arrested by armed police the next month. | Barot's plans were found on a laptop computer seized during a raid on a house in Gujrat, Pakistan, in July 2004. The Muslim convert, from Kingsbury, north-west London, was arrested by armed police the next month. |
| Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch head, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, called Barot a "determined and experienced terrorist" who attended training camps in 1995. | Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch head, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, called Barot a "determined and experienced terrorist" who attended training camps in 1995. |
| "For well over two years we have been unable to show the British public the reality of the threat they faced from this man. Now they can see for themselves the full horror of his plan." | "For well over two years we have been unable to show the British public the reality of the threat they faced from this man. Now they can see for themselves the full horror of his plan." |