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Fertiliser claim in terror trial | Fertiliser claim in terror trial |
(30 minutes later) | |
One of the seven men accused of plotting to bomb UK targets told the Old Bailey the half-ton of fertiliser he bought was destined for Pakistan. | |
Anthony Garcia, 24, said co-accused Omar Khyam asked him to buy 600kg of ammonium nitrate, and that it was to be shipped to Pakistan. | |
He also said he was a rap fan who had been likened to Ali G as a teenager. | |
The seven men were arrested when the fertiliser was found stored in a west London depot. They deny all charges. | The seven men were arrested when the fertiliser was found stored in a west London depot. They deny all charges. |
Asked why he bought the fertiliser, Mr Garcia told the court: "Because Khyam asked me to. It was to be shipped to Pakistan." | |
He said he heard no more about the fertiliser until his arrest four months later in March 2004. | |
He also told the court he was a rap and basketball fan and that "people used to take me as some kind of Ali G character," when he was a teenager. | He also told the court he was a rap and basketball fan and that "people used to take me as some kind of Ali G character," when he was a teenager. |
But he said people began to respect him after he started raising money for Muslims in Kashmir. | But he said people began to respect him after he started raising money for Muslims in Kashmir. |
Modelling ambitions | Modelling ambitions |
Mr Garcia also told the court that he had wanted to be a model before his arrest, and had changed his name shortly before from Rahman Adam. | Mr Garcia also told the court that he had wanted to be a model before his arrest, and had changed his name shortly before from Rahman Adam. |
This was both to help his career and to avoid repaying a loan he had taken out. | This was both to help his career and to avoid repaying a loan he had taken out. |
He had been bought up as part of a large family of Algerians coming to east London from Africa when he was five. | He had been bought up as part of a large family of Algerians coming to east London from Africa when he was five. |
I was trying to become a model Anthony Garcia | |
The family were not religious, but he became interested in Islam in his late teens as he found he was a successful fundraiser. | The family were not religious, but he became interested in Islam in his late teens as he found he was a successful fundraiser. |
Asked by defence counsel Matthew Ryder: "Do you think of yourself as English or Algerian?" Mr Garcia replied: "English". | Asked by defence counsel Matthew Ryder: "Do you think of yourself as English or Algerian?" Mr Garcia replied: "English". |
He condemned the 11 September attacks in America and Osama Bin Laden, saying the killing of innocents was against his religion. | |
Mr Garcia said he was and is only concerned in the Kashmiri cause, did not understand the politics of Iraq and Afghanistan and did not agree with the Taleban. | |
He had previously wanted to get military training in Pakistan in case he was ever called to fight for Kashmir but was turned down for being "white". | |
Last week Mr Khyam cut his evidence short before being questioned about the fertiliser, after telling the court Pakistani secret services had "had words" with his family. | |
Terror charges | |
The prosecution alleges the men were part of a cell linked to al-Qaeda which was targeting utilities, the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent, and the Ministry of Sound nightclub in London. | The prosecution alleges the men were part of a cell linked to al-Qaeda which was targeting utilities, the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent, and the Ministry of Sound nightclub in London. |
Omar Khyam, 24; his brother Shujah Mahmood, 19; Waheed Mahmood, 34; and Jawad Akbar, 23, all from Crawley, Sussex; Salahuddin Amin, 31, from Luton, Bedfordshire; Anthony Garcia, 24, of Barkingside, east London; and Nabeel Hussain, 21, of Horley, Surrey, deny conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life between January 1, 2003 and March 31, 2004. | Omar Khyam, 24; his brother Shujah Mahmood, 19; Waheed Mahmood, 34; and Jawad Akbar, 23, all from Crawley, Sussex; Salahuddin Amin, 31, from Luton, Bedfordshire; Anthony Garcia, 24, of Barkingside, east London; and Nabeel Hussain, 21, of Horley, Surrey, 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. |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |