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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Briton guilty of directing terror | Briton guilty of directing terror |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A British man has become the first al-Qaeda suspect convicted in the UK of directing terrorism, following a trial at Manchester Crown Court. | A British man has become the first al-Qaeda suspect convicted in the UK of directing terrorism, following a trial at Manchester Crown Court. |
| Rangzieb Ahmed, 33, was also found guilty of being a member of terror group al-Qaeda, along with Habib Ahmed. | Rangzieb Ahmed, 33, was also found guilty of being a member of terror group al-Qaeda, along with Habib Ahmed. |
| Habib Ahmed, 29, was caught with two diaries containing details of top al-Qaeda operatives, described in court as a terrorist's contact book. | Habib Ahmed, 29, was caught with two diaries containing details of top al-Qaeda operatives, described in court as a terrorist's contact book. |
| Both men, who are from Manchester, are due to be sentenced on Friday. | |
| The diaries, which contained some writing in invisible ink, had been given to Habib Ahmed by his co-defendant Rangzieb Ahmed, who is no relation. | The diaries, which contained some writing in invisible ink, had been given to Habib Ahmed by his co-defendant Rangzieb Ahmed, who is no relation. |
| Among the names and phone numbers in the diaries was a former al-Qaeda top man Hamza Rabia, the court was told. | Among the names and phone numbers in the diaries was a former al-Qaeda top man Hamza Rabia, the court was told. |
| 'Major activity' | 'Major activity' |
| The prosecution said he had been part of a three-man active service cell on an unknown foreign mission. | |
| Rangzieb had travelled to Dubai from Pakistan via China en route to South Africa in December 2005 as part of a "major activity," the court heard. | Rangzieb had travelled to Dubai from Pakistan via China en route to South Africa in December 2005 as part of a "major activity," the court heard. |
| It was said these were abandoned when his boss, Hamza Rabia, was killed in an explosion the same month. | It was said these were abandoned when his boss, Hamza Rabia, was killed in an explosion the same month. |
| Rangzieb Ahmed was trapped by a complex police and security force operation | Rangzieb Ahmed was trapped by a complex police and security force operation |
| Habib then flew to Dubai to collect the diaries and they returned to the UK separately. | Habib then flew to Dubai to collect the diaries and they returned to the UK separately. |
| Counter-terrorism officers, who were monitoring the two men, had bugged the hotel room in Dubai where they made several coded references to al-Qaeda. | Counter-terrorism officers, who were monitoring the two men, had bugged the hotel room in Dubai where they made several coded references to al-Qaeda. |
| They also placed a probe in the taxi of Habib, who they continued to monitor when he returned to the UK. | They also placed a probe in the taxi of Habib, who they continued to monitor when he returned to the UK. |
| Rangzieb returned to Pakistan in January 2006 to continue his ambitions as an international terrorist. | Rangzieb returned to Pakistan in January 2006 to continue his ambitions as an international terrorist. |
| He was arrested by the Pakistani authorities in August 2006 over alleged links with al-Qaeda, his detention forced detectives to apprehend Habib as they feared he would go on the run. | He was arrested by the Pakistani authorities in August 2006 over alleged links with al-Qaeda, his detention forced detectives to apprehend Habib as they feared he would go on the run. |
| He was already a confessed member of another proscribed terror group, Harakat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM). | He was already a confessed member of another proscribed terror group, Harakat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM). |
| Attack planning' | Attack planning' |
| Two of the invisible ink diaries were discovered at Habib's home following his arrest. | Two of the invisible ink diaries were discovered at Habib's home following his arrest. |
| Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Porter from Greater Manchester Police said: "Rangzieb Ahmed is a very dangerous man. He consorts with senior terrorist figures and has devoted his life to creating and working with terrorist networks. | Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Porter from Greater Manchester Police said: "Rangzieb Ahmed is a very dangerous man. He consorts with senior terrorist figures and has devoted his life to creating and working with terrorist networks. |
| Briton's link to al-Qaeda | Briton's link to al-Qaeda |
| "We believe that he was intent on masterminding terrorist attacks and would have considered mass murder part of his duty. | "We believe that he was intent on masterminding terrorist attacks and would have considered mass murder part of his duty. |
| "We don't know where Rangzieb's next target would have been, or what exactly he was working towards, but we are sure he was attack-planning." | "We don't know where Rangzieb's next target would have been, or what exactly he was working towards, but we are sure he was attack-planning." |
| Both Rangzieb and Habib Ahmed had close contact with al-Qaeda's senior figures, and were arranging for British citizens to visit terrorist camps, he added. | Both Rangzieb and Habib Ahmed had close contact with al-Qaeda's senior figures, and were arranging for British citizens to visit terrorist camps, he added. |
| Torture claim | Torture claim |
| The men were both found guilty of possessing the diaries between April 2004 and April 2006 for the purpose of terrorism. | The men were both found guilty of possessing the diaries between April 2004 and April 2006 for the purpose of terrorism. |
| Habib Ahmed, of Cheetham Hill, north Manchester, was cleared of attending a terrorist training camp in Pakistan in 2006. | Habib Ahmed, of Cheetham Hill, north Manchester, was cleared of attending a terrorist training camp in Pakistan in 2006. |
| He was also found not guilty of seven counts of possessing information for the purposes of terrorism. | He was also found not guilty of seven counts of possessing information for the purposes of terrorism. |
| His wife, Mehreen Haji, 28, was cleared of two counts of arranging funding for the purposes of terrorism. | His wife, Mehreen Haji, 28, was cleared of two counts of arranging funding for the purposes of terrorism. |
| Rangzieb Ahmed, of Fallowfield, south Manchester, was cleared of possessing a rucksack containing traces of explosives for the use of terrorism. | Rangzieb Ahmed, of Fallowfield, south Manchester, was cleared of possessing a rucksack containing traces of explosives for the use of terrorism. |
| His legal team say he was tortured during his eight-month detention in a Pakistani jail. | His legal team say he was tortured during his eight-month detention in a Pakistani jail. |
| Both men showed no emotion as the verdicts were read. They will be sentenced on Friday. | Both men showed no emotion as the verdicts were read. They will be sentenced on Friday. |