This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7246812.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Man guilty over soldier plot cell | Man guilty over soldier plot cell |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A man has been found guilty of being part of a terror cell whose leader plotted to behead a British soldier. | A man has been found guilty of being part of a terror cell whose leader plotted to behead a British soldier. |
| Last month Parviz Khan, 37, from Birmingham, admitted plotting to kidnap and murder a serving Muslim soldier and to supplying equipment to the Taleban. | Last month Parviz Khan, 37, from Birmingham, admitted plotting to kidnap and murder a serving Muslim soldier and to supplying equipment to the Taleban. |
| Now a Leicester Crown Court jury has convicted Zahoor Iqbal, 30, of helping Khan supply the Taleban. | |
| A second man, Amjad Mahmood, 32, was cleared of this offence but the jury is deliberating on another charge. | |
| Relief aid | Relief aid |
| The prosecution accepted that Iqbal, a school attendance and mentoring officer, had no knowledge of the plot to kill a British soldier. | The prosecution accepted that Iqbal, a school attendance and mentoring officer, had no knowledge of the plot to kill a British soldier. |
| During the trial he denied the claim that he helped Khan send the illicit cargoes. | During the trial he denied the claim that he helped Khan send the illicit cargoes. |
| Iqbal, also from Birmingham, said he thought their trips to wholesalers were to buy relief aid for the victims of the Kashmir earthquake in October 2005. | Iqbal, also from Birmingham, said he thought their trips to wholesalers were to buy relief aid for the victims of the Kashmir earthquake in October 2005. |
| He told the court he was a Muslim "but not practising", and that he did not pray. | He told the court he was a Muslim "but not practising", and that he did not pray. |
| Iqbal also denied that he had been suspicious about being asked to send cash to Khan in Pakistan, saying: "It was a regularly done thing in our community." | Iqbal also denied that he had been suspicious about being asked to send cash to Khan in Pakistan, saying: "It was a regularly done thing in our community." |
| Iqbal has been remanded into custody until his sentence hearing. | Iqbal has been remanded into custody until his sentence hearing. |
| Panic plan | Panic plan |
| The jury will continue deliberating on Monday on the other charge against Mr Mahmood, of Birmingham, that he knew about Khan's plan to film the beheading of the soldier but failed to inform the authorities. | The jury will continue deliberating on Monday on the other charge against Mr Mahmood, of Birmingham, that he knew about Khan's plan to film the beheading of the soldier but failed to inform the authorities. |
| Three other men, Basiru Gassama, 30, Mohammed Irfan, 31, and Hamid Elasmar, 44, have previously admitted other offences connected with Khan's activities. | Three other men, Basiru Gassama, 30, Mohammed Irfan, 31, and Hamid Elasmar, 44, have previously admitted other offences connected with Khan's activities. |
| In court last month, the jury heard Khan planned to seize and behead a British Muslim soldier. | In court last month, the jury heard Khan planned to seize and behead a British Muslim soldier. |
| The unemployed charity worker intended to use drug dealers to kidnap the soldier while on a night out, behead him in a lock-up garage and then release footage of the killing to the public, the court heard. | The unemployed charity worker intended to use drug dealers to kidnap the soldier while on a night out, behead him in a lock-up garage and then release footage of the killing to the public, the court heard. |
| Prosecutors said he wanted to cause panic and fear in the British armed forces and among the wider public. | Prosecutors said he wanted to cause panic and fear in the British armed forces and among the wider public. |