This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7674350.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Firefighter 'found bomb in car' | Firefighter 'found bomb in car' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A firefighter has told a jury how he discovered a car bomb parked outside a busy London nightclub. | A firefighter has told a jury how he discovered a car bomb parked outside a busy London nightclub. |
| Andrew Shaw told Woolwich Crown Court he removed a gas cylinder which had been emitting vapour from inside an empty green Mercedes. | Andrew Shaw told Woolwich Crown Court he removed a gas cylinder which had been emitting vapour from inside an empty green Mercedes. |
| He then noticed other bomb components like mobile phones, shrapnel and nails. | He then noticed other bomb components like mobile phones, shrapnel and nails. |
| Bilal Abdulla, 29, from Paisley, and Mohammed Asha, 27, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, deny conspiracies to murder and to cause explosions. | Bilal Abdulla, 29, from Paisley, and Mohammed Asha, 27, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, deny conspiracies to murder and to cause explosions. |
| Both were doctors employed by the NHS. | Both were doctors employed by the NHS. |
| The court heard how Soho fire station's blue watch crew was called to Tiger Tiger in Haymarket at 1.41am on 29 June last year. | |
| About 550 customers were in the club at the time. | |
| Mr Shaw said that on opening the vehicle he saw paraphernalia including a lamp shade and quilt strewn across the back seat. | Mr Shaw said that on opening the vehicle he saw paraphernalia including a lamp shade and quilt strewn across the back seat. |
| Brute force | Brute force |
| He said: "My first reaction was surprise that it was open. I could smell gas and was trying to work out what it was. | He said: "My first reaction was surprise that it was open. I could smell gas and was trying to work out what it was. |
| "It was coming from between the two seats. It was quite strong." | "It was coming from between the two seats. It was quite strong." |
| Inside he found the gas cylinder wedged between the driver's seat and the rear footwell. | Inside he found the gas cylinder wedged between the driver's seat and the rear footwell. |
| He said: "I decided to use brute force and just yank it out." | He said: "I decided to use brute force and just yank it out." |
| However, after taking out the cylinder and turning off the valve he suddenly saw the shrapnel, nails and bits of metal alongside another cylinder in the footwell. | However, after taking out the cylinder and turning off the valve he suddenly saw the shrapnel, nails and bits of metal alongside another cylinder in the footwell. |
| "It's at those moments everything falls into place in a matter of seconds," said Mr Shaw. | "It's at those moments everything falls into place in a matter of seconds," said Mr Shaw. |
| It looked like something was venting from inside the car, I thought I better get the experts down Andrew Meyer,Ambulance technician | |
| "I saw two mobile phones and wires coming from the phones. At that point it doesn't take long for the penny to drop. I just thought, it's a bomb or improvised device." | "I saw two mobile phones and wires coming from the phones. At that point it doesn't take long for the penny to drop. I just thought, it's a bomb or improvised device." |
| The bomb squad was immediately called out, Mr Shaw said. | |
| In a written statement, explosives officer Paul Humphrey, who made the device safe, said he found two Nokia phones between the two front seats with attached wires, plus two cylinders. | |
| Firefighters had been alerted to the vehicle by an ambulance technician who had been treating a man who had injured an ankle falling down stairs in the club. | |
| Andrew Meyer had noticed something odd about the car and took a closer look. | |
| He said: "It looked like something was venting from inside the car, I thought I better get the experts down." | |
| Detonators failed | |
| It is alleged Dr Abdulla, 29, parked the Mercedes outside the nightclub. | |
| A second car bomb left by Kafeel Ahmed, 28, in nearby Cockspur Street also failed to go off because the mobile phone detonators did not work. | |
| The following day Mr Ahmed drove a jeep into a terminal building at Glasgow airport. He later died from burns. Dr Abdulla is alleged to have been a passenger in the vehicle. | The following day Mr Ahmed drove a jeep into a terminal building at Glasgow airport. He later died from burns. Dr Abdulla is alleged to have been a passenger in the vehicle. |
| Prosecutors claim Dr Abdulla and Mr Ahmed made the three car bombs. Dr Asha is accused of providing money and advice behind the scenes. | Prosecutors claim Dr Abdulla and Mr Ahmed made the three car bombs. Dr Asha is accused of providing money and advice behind the scenes. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |