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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Fertiliser claim in terror trial | Fertiliser claim in terror trial |
| (about 22 hours 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. | 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. | 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. | 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." | 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 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 brought 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 | 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. | 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. | 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". | 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. | 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 | 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. |