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21/7 suspect 'saved tower block' | 21/7 suspect 'saved tower block' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
One of the 21 July bomb plot suspects may have saved a tower block of people from being blown up, a court was told. | One of the 21 July bomb plot suspects may have saved a tower block of people from being blown up, a court was told. |
Woolwich Crown Court heard that Manfo Asiedu, 34, dismantled a booby-trapped sideboard at a London "bomb factory". | |
His defence barrister, Stephen Kamlish QC, said in doing so he was possibly responsible for "saving the block and all the people in it". | His defence barrister, Stephen Kamlish QC, said in doing so he was possibly responsible for "saving the block and all the people in it". |
Six men deny conspiracy to murder and to cause explosions across London's transport network on 21 July 2005. | Six men deny conspiracy to murder and to cause explosions across London's transport network on 21 July 2005. |
It is alleged that Mr Asiedu was the fifth bomber but lost his nerve. | |
His barrister was opening the case for the defence for Mr Asiedu, who had turned on co-defendant Muktar Said Ibrahim two months into the trial and accused him of planning an attack "bigger and better" than 7 July's attack on the London Underground. | His barrister was opening the case for the defence for Mr Asiedu, who had turned on co-defendant Muktar Said Ibrahim two months into the trial and accused him of planning an attack "bigger and better" than 7 July's attack on the London Underground. |
Mr Kamlish said of Mr Asiedu: "He's not asking for any applause, but if he hadn't have done it and it was a bomb that actually worked... he was in fact responsible - potentially - for saving the block and all the people in it." | Mr Kamlish said of Mr Asiedu: "He's not asking for any applause, but if he hadn't have done it and it was a bomb that actually worked... he was in fact responsible - potentially - for saving the block and all the people in it." |
'Used and abused' | 'Used and abused' |
Mr Kamlish said his client - who the jury was told was really called Sumailia Abubakhari - was "used and abused" by Mr Ibrahim who was a "cowardly, manipulative schemer". | Mr Kamlish said his client - who the jury was told was really called Sumailia Abubakhari - was "used and abused" by Mr Ibrahim who was a "cowardly, manipulative schemer". |
The barrister also said that until recently, Mr Ibrahim and co-defendant Yassin Omar's "influence" had stopped him "from giving the game away". | The barrister also said that until recently, Mr Ibrahim and co-defendant Yassin Omar's "influence" had stopped him "from giving the game away". |
The barrister added that there was "simply no evidence" of Mr Asiedu being a fanatic and that "being a fanatic is a basic minimum requirement for being a suicide bomber". | The barrister added that there was "simply no evidence" of Mr Asiedu being a fanatic and that "being a fanatic is a basic minimum requirement for being a suicide bomber". |
The six accused are Mr Muktar Said Ibrahim, 29, of Stoke Newington, north London; Mr Ramzi Mohammed, 25; Mr Yassin Omar, 26, of New Southgate, north London; Mr Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, and Mr Hussein Osman 28, both of no fixed address; and Adel Yahya, 24, of Tottenham, north London. | |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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