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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Jailed bomb plotters lose appeal | Jailed bomb plotters lose appeal |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Five men who were jailed for plotting a massive fertiliser bomb attack have lost their appeal against conviction. | |
| The Court of Appeal in London upheld the convictions of the five men, who were jailed after Britain's longest-ever terrorism prosecution. | The Court of Appeal in London upheld the convictions of the five men, who were jailed after Britain's longest-ever terrorism prosecution. |
| Omar Khyam, Anthony Garcia, Jawad Akbar, Waheed Mahmood and Salahuddin Amin planned to target nightclubs or a major shopping centre near London. | Omar Khyam, Anthony Garcia, Jawad Akbar, Waheed Mahmood and Salahuddin Amin planned to target nightclubs or a major shopping centre near London. |
| The police stopped them after an international investigation. | |
| Khyam, Mahmood and Akbar, of Crawley in West Sussex, Garcia of Barkingside in east London and Amin of Luton were all found guilty of conspiracy to cause explosions after a 14-month trial which ended in the spring of 2007. | Khyam, Mahmood and Akbar, of Crawley in West Sussex, Garcia of Barkingside in east London and Amin of Luton were all found guilty of conspiracy to cause explosions after a 14-month trial which ended in the spring of 2007. |
| Torture claim | Torture claim |
| The three Court of Appeal judges rejected their case on Wednesday - but ordered a reduction in the minimum sentence to be served by two of the men. | The three Court of Appeal judges rejected their case on Wednesday - but ordered a reduction in the minimum sentence to be served by two of the men. |
| Garcia's minimum term of 20 years has now been reduced to 17-and-a-half-years. | Garcia's minimum term of 20 years has now been reduced to 17-and-a-half-years. |
| Amin, who has alleged he received an unfair trial because he was tortured in Pakistan, saw his minimum term reduced from 17-and-a-half-years to 16 years and nine months. | Amin, who has alleged he received an unfair trial because he was tortured in Pakistan, saw his minimum term reduced from 17-and-a-half-years to 16 years and nine months. |
| The massive police and MI5 operation behind the convictions began in 2003 when the security services identified a group of men they believed were actively plotting a terrorist attack. | The massive police and MI5 operation behind the convictions began in 2003 when the security services identified a group of men they believed were actively plotting a terrorist attack. |
| The plot involved links to conspirators in Canada and Pakistan where some of the men had learned bomb-making skills. | The plot involved links to conspirators in Canada and Pakistan where some of the men had learned bomb-making skills. |
| Undercover operation | Undercover operation |
| Khyam, the ringleader of the plot, had bought 600kg of ammonium nitrate fertiliser and had placed it in a storage centre for future use. | Khyam, the ringleader of the plot, had bought 600kg of ammonium nitrate fertiliser and had placed it in a storage centre for future use. |
| But the security services had successfully bugged some of the men and placed an undercover agent in the storage centre. | But the security services had successfully bugged some of the men and placed an undercover agent in the storage centre. |
| The bugs recorded the men discussing possible targets including the Bluewater shopping centre and Ministry of Sound nightclub, one of the largest in London. | The bugs recorded the men discussing possible targets including the Bluewater shopping centre and Ministry of Sound nightclub, one of the largest in London. |
| The men argued in the trial that the plot was never serious and they had never reached the final phase of putting together a realistic plan. | The men argued in the trial that the plot was never serious and they had never reached the final phase of putting together a realistic plan. |
| But police said they had smashed the conspiracy to prevent it getting too close to completion. | But police said they had smashed the conspiracy to prevent it getting too close to completion. |
| At their trial, the judge warned the five that their crimes were so serious they may never be released. | At their trial, the judge warned the five that their crimes were so serious they may never be released. |