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| Prejudice warning for bomb jury | Prejudice warning for bomb jury |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The jury at the fertiliser bomb plot trial have been urged to ignore prejudice when considering their verdict in the case. | The jury at the fertiliser bomb plot trial have been urged to ignore prejudice when considering their verdict in the case. |
| Summing up at the end of the year-long Old Bailey trial, the judge, Sir Michael Astill, said they must ignore world events and news reports. | Summing up at the end of the year-long Old Bailey trial, the judge, Sir Michael Astill, said they must ignore world events and news reports. |
| Seven men deny conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life. | Seven men deny conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life. |
| The defendants were arrested after 600kg of chemical fertiliser was found in a storage depot in London in 2004. | The defendants were arrested after 600kg of chemical fertiliser was found in a storage depot in London in 2004. |
| The prosecution claims they were involved in a plot to bomb targets including the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent, the Ministry of Sound nightclub in London and the gas and electricity network. | The prosecution claims they were involved in a plot to bomb targets including the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent, the Ministry of Sound nightclub in London and the gas and electricity network. |
| The judge told them: "There has been a great deal of publicity about the threat to the United Kingdom and other parts of the world from terrorism activity. | The judge told them: "There has been a great deal of publicity about the threat to the United Kingdom and other parts of the world from terrorism activity. |
| Do not leave your common sense and experience and knowledge of the world behind you when you make your decision. However do not let it prejudice your thoughts Sir Michael Astill | Do not leave your common sense and experience and knowledge of the world behind you when you make your decision. However do not let it prejudice your thoughts Sir Michael Astill |
| "That is to be expected because terrorism has potential consequences for the lives of us all." | "That is to be expected because terrorism has potential consequences for the lives of us all." |
| "Do not leave your common sense and experience and knowledge of the world behind you when you make your decision. However do not let it prejudice your thoughts," he warned. | "Do not leave your common sense and experience and knowledge of the world behind you when you make your decision. However do not let it prejudice your thoughts," he warned. |
| Referring to the length of the trial, the judge said: "You must wonder why you have to sit and listen to a summing up when you have heard evidence over one year and beyond and weeks and weeks of counsels' speeches." | |
| But he said it was his role to sum up the evidence from an objective and neutral point of view. | |
| 'You are the judges' | |
| He said submissions from lawyers were naturally partisan, urging the jury to accept or reject evidence in favour of the case they were advancing. | |
| "You and you alone are the judges of the evidence. You and you alone decide who and what you believe," he told them. | |
| Omar Khyam, 26, his brother Shujah Mahmood, 20, Waheed Mahmood, 34, and Jawad Akbar, 23, all from Crawley, West Sussex; Anthony Garcia, 25, of Barkingside, east London; Nabeel Hussain, 21, of Horley, Surrey; and Salahuddin Amin, 31, of Luton, Bedfordshire, deny conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life between January 1 2003 and March 31 2004. | Omar Khyam, 26, his brother Shujah Mahmood, 20, Waheed Mahmood, 34, and Jawad Akbar, 23, all from Crawley, West Sussex; Anthony Garcia, 25, of Barkingside, east London; Nabeel Hussain, 21, of Horley, Surrey; and Salahuddin Amin, 31, of Luton, Bedfordshire, deny conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life between January 1 2003 and March 31 2004. |
| Mr Khyam, Mr Garcia and Mr Hussain also deny a charge under the Terrorism Act of possessing 1,300lb (600kg) of ammonium nitrate fertiliser for terrorism. | Mr Khyam, Mr Garcia and Mr Hussain also deny a charge under the Terrorism Act of possessing 1,300lb (600kg) of ammonium nitrate fertiliser for terrorism. |
| Mr Khyam and Shujah Mahmood further deny possessing aluminium powder for terrorism. | Mr Khyam and Shujah Mahmood further deny possessing aluminium powder for terrorism. |