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Bomb plot suspect 'praised' 9/11 | Bomb plot suspect 'praised' 9/11 |
(about 23 hours later) | |
One of the alleged 21 July terror plotters thought the 9/11 attacks were a "good thing", a court has heard. | One of the alleged 21 July terror plotters thought the 9/11 attacks were a "good thing", a court has heard. |
Yassin Omar believed Muslims were right to bomb the US because the West was against Islam, a jury was told. | Yassin Omar believed Muslims were right to bomb the US because the West was against Islam, a jury was told. |
His brother-in-law, known only as Mr A, told Woolwich Crown Court: "He confirmed that it's a good thing and it's a worthy cause." | His brother-in-law, known only as Mr A, told Woolwich Crown Court: "He confirmed that it's a good thing and it's a worthy cause." |
Mr Omar, 26, and five other men, deny conspiracy to murder and cause explosions in London in 2005. | Mr Omar, 26, and five other men, deny conspiracy to murder and cause explosions in London in 2005. |
The other five are Hussein Osman, 28, Manfo Asiedu, 33, Muktar Ibrahim, 29, Ramzi Mohammed, 25, and Adel Yahya, 24. | The other five are Hussein Osman, 28, Manfo Asiedu, 33, Muktar Ibrahim, 29, Ramzi Mohammed, 25, and Adel Yahya, 24. |
The jury of nine women and three men was read extracts from a statement Mr A made to police. | The jury of nine women and three men was read extracts from a statement Mr A made to police. |
In it, he said he and Mr Omar discussed their beliefs a few times, but never talked about terrorism. | In it, he said he and Mr Omar discussed their beliefs a few times, but never talked about terrorism. |
Yassin's views about 9/11 were he thought the West had behaved badly towards Muslims, but he thought 9/11 was a very bad thing Peter Carter QC, defending Omar | Yassin's views about 9/11 were he thought the West had behaved badly towards Muslims, but he thought 9/11 was a very bad thing Peter Carter QC, defending Omar |
Mr A, who was obscured from public view in court, said Mr Omar tried to justify the 11 September attacks to him - and he disagreed in strong terms. | Mr A, who was obscured from public view in court, said Mr Omar tried to justify the 11 September attacks to him - and he disagreed in strong terms. |
He told the jury: "I said, 'Do not talk about that, there are people, a lot of people, who lost their loved ones. Why? Why did they deserve to die? Do not try and justify that crap to me'." | He told the jury: "I said, 'Do not talk about that, there are people, a lot of people, who lost their loved ones. Why? Why did they deserve to die? Do not try and justify that crap to me'." |
The witness said from then on Mr Omar was distant from him. | The witness said from then on Mr Omar was distant from him. |
During cross-examination, Peter Carter QC, who is defending Mr Omar, said: "Yassin's views about 9/11 were he thought the West had behaved badly towards Muslims, but he thought 9/11 was a very bad thing." | During cross-examination, Peter Carter QC, who is defending Mr Omar, said: "Yassin's views about 9/11 were he thought the West had behaved badly towards Muslims, but he thought 9/11 was a very bad thing." |
But Mr A, who the court heard is a Muslim but drinks wine, replied: "No, that's incorrect." | But Mr A, who the court heard is a Muslim but drinks wine, replied: "No, that's incorrect." |
The barrister went on: "Because he thought it was one of those acts that was going to put people off Islam and he wanted to draw people to Islam." | The barrister went on: "Because he thought it was one of those acts that was going to put people off Islam and he wanted to draw people to Islam." |
The witness said it did not come across that way. | The witness said it did not come across that way. |
Mr A told the court that when he realised one of the photos of the 21 July suspects resembled Mr Omar, he tried to find him. | Mr A told the court that when he realised one of the photos of the 21 July suspects resembled Mr Omar, he tried to find him. |
He said he tracked down two of his brother-in-law's friends - one of whom was later identified as fellow defendant Manfo Kwaku Asiedu - who insisted Mr Omar would not have got involved in a terrorist plot. | He said he tracked down two of his brother-in-law's friends - one of whom was later identified as fellow defendant Manfo Kwaku Asiedu - who insisted Mr Omar would not have got involved in a terrorist plot. |
Mr A later called the police and he told the court that if Mr Omar was guilty, he and his family wanted nothing more to do with him. | Mr A later called the police and he told the court that if Mr Omar was guilty, he and his family wanted nothing more to do with him. |
Muslim convert | Muslim convert |
Mr A told the jury that when he met Mr Asiedu while looking for Mr Omar he appeared to be nervous. | Mr A told the jury that when he met Mr Asiedu while looking for Mr Omar he appeared to be nervous. |
"What he kept saying was: 'Yassin was like a brother to me and he wouldn't get involved with anything like this'," the witness said. | "What he kept saying was: 'Yassin was like a brother to me and he wouldn't get involved with anything like this'," the witness said. |
The jury later heard that Mr Asiedu went to the police station on 26 July 2005 and was arrested. | The jury later heard that Mr Asiedu went to the police station on 26 July 2005 and was arrested. |
During interviews he told officers he was a Muslim convert who came to the UK from Ghana in 1993 or 1994. | During interviews he told officers he was a Muslim convert who came to the UK from Ghana in 1993 or 1994. |
The court heard that he played for the Finchley Mosque football team and was nicknamed George after footballer George Weah. | |
The six are accused of plotting to carry out a series of explosions on the London transport system on 21 July 2005 using home-made hydrogen peroxide bombs. | The six are accused of plotting to carry out a series of explosions on the London transport system on 21 July 2005 using home-made hydrogen peroxide bombs. |
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