[ [http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20116279-5001021,00.html Australian Daily Telegraph August 14 2006 Bottle and baby used as bomb. ] Scotland Yard were interviewing Ahmed over plans to use a baby's bottle to smuggle liquid explosive onto a plane. ]Charges
The charges were:
On diverse days between 1 January 2006 and 10 August 2006 within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court conspired with other persons to murder other persons (contrary to Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977). On diverse days between 1 January 2006 and 10 August 2006 within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court with the intention of committing acts of terrorism engaged in conduct to give effect to their intention to smuggle the component parts of improvised explosive devices onto aircraft and assemble and detonate them on board (contrary to Section 5 (1) of the Terrorism Act 2006).
In his defense he claimed he was merely planning a small explosion to draw attention to a documentary he was making to protest against western foreign policy.
He was found guilty on September 8, 2008 of conspiring to kill hundreds of members of the public in a terrorist bombing campaign [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4707468.ece Terror mastermind Abdulla Ahmed Ali guilty of bombing plot] .
A jury at Woolwich Crown Court found that he was the leader of an east London al-Qaeda-inspired terror cell. He and his co-defendants, Assad Sarwar, 28, and Tanvir Hussain, 27, admitted plotting a series of small-scale headline-grabbing bomb attacks. The jury rejected his claims he did not plan to kill or hurt anyone in the blasts.
Background
His parents moved to UK in the 1960s from Pakistan. He has four brothers and three sisters. In the 1980s the family returned to Pakistan for six years before returning to east London in 1987 [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/sep/08/4?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews The liquid bomb plotters Haroon Siddique, guardian.co.uk, Monday September 08 2008] .
Since his teens he had been involved with Tablighi Jamaat [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4708700.ece Times, September 9, 2008 Analysis: How the plan was put together] .
In court, he mentioned seeing images of "concentration camps" in Bosnia when he was 15 or 16 and being "aware they were Muslims". In his martyrdom video [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2008/apr/15/'We will unleash a volcano of revenge on your capital'] , he said that he had aspired to be a martyr since the age of 15 [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/sep/08/4?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews The liquid bomb plotters Haroon Siddique, guardian.co.uk, Monday September 08 2008] .
He studied computer systems engineering. At university he became politically active, joining demonstrations and handing out leaflets. After graduating he worked as a volunteer with an Islamic charity in east London. In January 2003 he travelled to a refugee camp for Afghans in Pakistan.
According to newspaper reports, Ahmed Abdullah Ali is married to Cossor Ali. He has one baby son. It has been suggested that his brother is Assan Abdula Khan. [ 'The arrested suspects.' The Daily Telegraph, 13 August 2006]
Surveillance teams watched him on his return to Britain as he assembled his terror cell, collected materials and identified targets (Canary Wharf, the Bacton gas terminal pipeline, various airports, the electricity grid and internet providers).
As an unemployed former shop worker, he used cash to purchase a £138,000 second-floor flat in Forest Road, Walthamstow. A secret bug revealed it was converted into a bomb factory where he met others to construct the bombs. The flat was also used by him and others to record suicide videos threatening further attacks against the West. In the video, he warned the British public about “floods of martyr operations” that would leave body parts scattered in the streets.
He was seen shopping for clamps, drills, syringes, glue and latex gloves. Inside his purchased flat, officers found batteries, filaments, plastic bottles and large amounts of Tang, a high-sugar drink powder. They also witnessed bomb-making experiments using liquid explosives in soft drink bottles [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4708700.ece] .
He was observed using public phone boxes, mobile phones and anonymous e-mail accounts to keep in touch with mystery terrorist organisers in Pakistan.
On his arrest, he was found with an elaborate and damning blueprint for the plot, inscribed in a battered pocket diary. Airport security arrangements and details of flights, including the seven highlighted services, were found on a computer memory stick in one of his pockets.
Timeline
2003-06Long stays in Pakistan
2005Surveillance initiated because of said links to extremists in East London, including Muktar Said Ibrahim.
July 20, 2006 Flat purchased for £138,000 cash.
10th August 2006Suspect arrested by British authorities.
11th August 2006Assets are frozen by the Bank of England and name published.
21st August 2006Appearance at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court. Charged with conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism.
4th September 2006Appearance in court via a video link from Belmarsh Prison before the Old Bailey. Remanded in custody for 2 weeks.
18th September 2006Appearance in court via a video link from Belmarsh Prison before the Old Bailey. Remanded in custody until 27th October.
27th October 2006Scheduled court appearance.
18th May 2007Defendant pleads not guilty to the charges. Trial due to begin April 2008.
April 3 2008The trial of the eight men begins at Woolwich crown court
8 September 2008 Three suspects found guilty of conspiring to kill hundreds of people in a terrorist bombing campaign.
References
