Wedding plan for 'bomb plotter'

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The fiancee of a man accused of preparing to be a suicide bomber told a court she and her partner were looking forward to a traditional wedding.

Arafat Waheed Khan, 27, was preparing for celebrations in Pakistan and London when he was arrested in 2006, Ammara Chaudhry told Woolwich Crown Court.

Prosecutors allege Mr Khan and others plotted to smuggle liquid bombs, disguised as drinks, on to planes.

Eight men deny conspiring to murder and conspiring to endanger aircraft.

'Not believable'

Ms Chaudhry, who is also 27, and from west London, said an engagement party was held days before her fiance's arrest by counter-terrorism officers in August 2006.

Asked if she knew of his alleged intention to become an Islamic martyr, she said: "Arafat would never commit such an act."

She denied knowing about a martyrdom video recorded by him, threatening violence against the West.

"That allegation is something we cannot find believable. Not at all. I was actually shocked. I do not agree with it," she said.

Mr Khan, of Walthamstow, east London, is one of eight men on trial accused of conspiring to blow up transatlantic jets with home-made liquid bombs.

His co-defendants are Mohammed Gulzar, 26, of Barking, east London, Assad Sarwar, 24, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Leyton, east London, and Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27 and Waheed Zaman, 23 also of Walthamstow, east London.

Also charged are Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Stoke Newington, north London, and Umar Islam, 29, of Plaistow, east London.

All deny conspiring to murder and to endanger aircraft.

Romance grew

Miss Chaudhry met Mr Khan when they were both students at the University of North London in 2000, and described him as a loving and emotional man who lavished her with attention and gifts.

She said he was not a strict Muslim as he drank alcohol, smoked cannabis and had been in trouble with the police.

Miss Chaudhry described how their romance grew: "Arafat would make any Valentine's Day or my birthday special for me."

"I knew he loved me and I loved him. He bought me lots of stuff, teddy bears, perfume, clothes, purses..."

He was introduced to her parents in the summer of 2006, a wedding date was set for April 2007 and money was set aside.

Mr Khan was arrested on August 10 while his future father-in-law was in Pakistan. Miss Chaudhry said she did not tell her father on the phone because she was worried about his heart condition.

Earlier, Mohammed Khan, a cousin of the defendant, said in a written statement that Arafat Khan visited him in Pakistan between October 2005 and January 2006.

He said: "He told me he had met a young woman called Ammara and hoped to marry and start a family once he had a home and financial security."

The trial continues.