This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2670
January 15, 2007
'Good fortune' foiled bomb plot
Jan 15 2007 | |
An extremist Muslim plot to kill innocent commuters in a series of murderous suicide bombings only failed at the last moment because of problems with the explosive mixture, hot weather or mere "good fortune", a court has heard. A six-strong terrorist cell, several of whom had attended sermons by the radical Islamic preacher Abu Hamza, allegedly planned to carry out synchronised bombings on the London transport network exactly two weeks after the deadly July 7 terror attacks. However, the lives of many passengers on July 21, 2005, were spared when their rucksack bombs of chemicals, chapatti flour and shrapnel failed to explode, Woolwich Crown Court was told. At the opening of their trial, it was disclosed that five of the six men had been under surveillance by police during a camping trip to the Lake District almost 15 months before their alleged attempt to bomb three Tube trains and a bus. Their photographs were taken by police as they lined up with others on the trip, on a bank holiday weekend in early May 2004, apparently to take part in Islamic prayer. Less than a year later, the six men began formulating a plan to detonate rucksack bombs on London's public transport system, the court was told. By late April 2005, they had started buying the first of the necessary components for their home-made explosive devices, it was alleged.
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This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2670