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Friend 'helped bomb plot accused' Friend 'helped bomb plot accused'
(about 2 hours later)
A friend of the alleged 21 July bombers has told a jury he helped to collect the main ingredient for their bombs, believing it was for decorating.A friend of the alleged 21 July bombers has told a jury he helped to collect the main ingredient for their bombs, believing it was for decorating.
Matthew Dixon told Woolwich Crown Court he drove Manfo Asiedu to a hairdressing wholesalers to pick up bleach.Matthew Dixon told Woolwich Crown Court he drove Manfo Asiedu to a hairdressing wholesalers to pick up bleach.
Mr Asiedu is alleged to have then bought 16 litres of hydrogen peroxide.Mr Asiedu is alleged to have then bought 16 litres of hydrogen peroxide.
Mr Asiedu, Muktar Ibrahim, Hussein Osman, Yassin Omar, Ramzi Mohammed and Adel Yahya deny conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions.Mr Asiedu, Muktar Ibrahim, Hussein Osman, Yassin Omar, Ramzi Mohammed and Adel Yahya deny conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions.
Mr Dixon, a product designer, was a school friend of Mr Omar and knew several of the alleged plotters, the court heard.Mr Dixon, a product designer, was a school friend of Mr Omar and knew several of the alleged plotters, the court heard.
Volatile liquidVolatile liquid
Among them was 33-year-old Mr Asiedu, who told Mr Dixon he needed bleach for "stripping walls in listed buildings" because the wallpaper was so thick that a stripper would not work.Among them was 33-year-old Mr Asiedu, who told Mr Dixon he needed bleach for "stripping walls in listed buildings" because the wallpaper was so thick that a stripper would not work.
The pair drove to Hairways wholesalers in Tottenham, north London, on 19 May 2005, the court heard.The pair drove to Hairways wholesalers in Tottenham, north London, on 19 May 2005, the court heard.
A sales assistant advised them that liquid peroxide was volatile, Mr Dixon said.A sales assistant advised them that liquid peroxide was volatile, Mr Dixon said.
I did not know if it was going to get the seats dirty Matthew Dixon He (Mr Asiedu) said I was the only person he knew with a car Matthew Dixon
But Mr Asiedu replied: "No worries, I am a professional, I know what I am doing."But Mr Asiedu replied: "No worries, I am a professional, I know what I am doing."
Earlier, the court heard that Mr Asiedu bought the hydrogen peroxide allegedly for use as an explosive charge to be used in a plot to bomb London's public transport system.Earlier, the court heard that Mr Asiedu bought the hydrogen peroxide allegedly for use as an explosive charge to be used in a plot to bomb London's public transport system.
Mr Dixon told the court he had been reluctant to help with the shopping trip because he was busy with his Masters degree, but Mr Asiedu had been persistent.Mr Dixon told the court he had been reluctant to help with the shopping trip because he was busy with his Masters degree, but Mr Asiedu had been persistent.
"He said I was the only person he knew with a car," he said. "He said I was the only person he knew with a car," Mr Dixon said.
Mr Dixon was also worried that the bleach could damage his car, the court heard.
"I did not know the details of what he was carrying - I did not know if it was going to get the seats dirty," he said.
Painter and decoratorPainter and decorator
Mr Asiedu bought all the bottles in the shop and put them on the back seat of the car, the court heard. Mr Asiedu bought all the bottles in the shop and then the pair drove to Sally's hairdressers in Finchley where he bought more bottles, Mr Dixon told the court.
But Mr Asiedu said this was not enough, so the pair drove to Sally's hairdressers in Finchley where he bought more bottles. They then carried them to the ninth-floor home of Mr Omar in Curtis House, New Southgate, north London, the jury was told.
They then carried them to the ninth-floor home of Mr Omar in New Southgate, north London, the jury was told. Mr Dixon said he had no idea at the time of the potential use of peroxide in explosives and believed they were to be used by Mr Asiedu in his trade as a painter and decorator.
Mr Dixon said he had no idea at the time of the potential use of peroxide in explosives.
THE ACCUSED Muktar Said Ibrahim, 28, from Stoke Newington, north LondonRamzi Mohammed, 25, from North Kensington, west LondonYassin Omar, 26, from New Southgate, north LondonHussein Osman, 28, of no fixed addressManfo Kwaku Asiedu, 33, of no fixed addressAdel Yahya, 24, of High Road, Tottenham, north LondonTHE ACCUSED Muktar Said Ibrahim, 28, from Stoke Newington, north LondonRamzi Mohammed, 25, from North Kensington, west LondonYassin Omar, 26, from New Southgate, north LondonHussein Osman, 28, of no fixed addressManfo Kwaku Asiedu, 33, of no fixed addressAdel Yahya, 24, of High Road, Tottenham, north London
"This is months before any attacks in London. I knew he (Mr Asiedu) was a painter and decorator by trade. "I had no reason to doubt what they were going to be used for," he said.
"It seemed perfectly feasible that he needed to pick up supplies.
"I had no reason to doubt what they were going to be used for."
He said that, until the failed 21 July attacks, he had dismissed the shopping trip as "meaningless".He said that, until the failed 21 July attacks, he had dismissed the shopping trip as "meaningless".
"It was only (because of) the events afterwards that it became so important but at the time it was nothing," he told the court.
Mr Dixon also said he had visited north London's Finsbury Park Mosque with Mr Omar and Mr Yahya at the time that radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri was preaching there.Mr Dixon also said he had visited north London's Finsbury Park Mosque with Mr Omar and Mr Yahya at the time that radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri was preaching there.
He said it had been his first experience of a mosque and he had found nothing "abnormal or radical" about it.He said it had been his first experience of a mosque and he had found nothing "abnormal or radical" about it.
He went on to explain that he had "drifted" away from Mr Omar and Mr Yahya during the year before the alleged attacks.
But he told the court he had called Mr Omar in the days before the attack in response to "drop-calls", when Mr Omar would ring and then hang up because he had no credit.
'Concern grew'
Then two days after 21 July, Mr Dixon said he began to grow concerned about Mr Omar's whereabouts after calls from his family.
He told the court that he had seen images in the media of the suspected bombers and thought one of them "resembled" his friend.
Mr Dixon told the court how he went on to visit Mr Omar's home in Curtis House to ask neighbours for information, and then went to Finchley Mosque where he spoke to Mr Asiedu.
The pair, along with Mr Omar's brother-in-law, then went to visit the flat of Mr Omar's new wife, who he had married five days before the alleged attacks, Mr Dixon told the court.
It was "obvious" she was "distressed", Mr Dixon said.
"The only thing she said was 'How could he do this? We just got married' and I said to her 'Don't worry, I do not think he was involved'," Mr Dixon added.
Under cross examination by Peter Carter QC, Mr Omar's counsel, Mr Dixon said his friend Mr Omar had disagreed with the 7 July bombings and believed in promoting the good and kind aspects of Islam when encouraging people to convert to the faith.