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London club 'bombing plan' taped
An alleged British terror cell talked of blowing up London's Ministry of Sound nightclub, the Old Bailey heard. Accused Jawad Akbar said no-one could "turn round and say 'oh they were innocent' those slags dancing around?".
He and another member of the alleged cell linked to al-Qaeda appeared to discuss targets in surveillance tapes.
Seven of the men deny conspiring with a Canadian to cause explosions. Four of the men also deny having chemicals suitable for bomb-making.
In the secret security surveillance recordings, Omar Khyam, 24, of Crawley, West Sussex, is heard apparently discussing targeting utility companies with the help of recruits with inside knowledge, to cut off essential supplies around the country.
But another of the alleged plotters, Jawad Akbar, 22, also of Crawley, says the well-known central London nightclub was a softer target for a terror attack, according to the prosecution.
'Easy stuff'
The prosecution claimed the recording was made at Akbar's then home in Uxbridge, west London, on 22 February, 2004.
On the tape Jawad Akbar: "What about easy stuff where you don't need no experience and nothing and you could get a job, yeah, like for example the biggest nightclub in central London where no-one can even turn round and say "oh they were innocent" those slags dancing around?
Omar Khyam: "If you get a job in a bar, yeah, or a club, say the Ministry of Sound, what are you planning to do there then?"
Jawad Akbar: "Blow the whole thing up."
Omar Khyam: "That's what I'm saying."
Jawad Akbar: "I think the club thing you could do, but the gas would be much harder. There's people who even get in with their searching stuff but it's only bouncers that search you."
Omar Khyam said: "The explosion in the clubs, yeah, that's fine, bro, that's not a problem. The training for that is available. To get them into the Ministry of Sound really isn't difficult."
Mr Akbar asked Mr Khyam if he thought the place was bugged to which he replied he did not think so.
'Devastating consequences'
Gary Smart, the Ministry of Sound's general manager, said in a statement read to court that 1.5 million people had visited it since it opened.
He said: "If the Ministry of Sound was to be subjected to terrorist attack, then it's clear that the consequences could be devastating with such a large number of people in such a confined space.
"The impact could result in loss of life, injury or structural damage."
Mr Akbar, Mr Khyamand his brother Shujah Mahmood, 19, and Waheed Mahmood, 34, both of Crawley, Salahuddin Amin, 31, of Luton, Beds, Anthony Garcia, 23, of Ilford, east London, and Nabeel Hussain, 21, of Horley, Surrey, deny conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life between 1 January, 2003 and 31 March, 2004.
Mr Khyam, Mr Garcia and Mr Hussain also deny a charge under the Terrorism Act of possessing 600kg (1,300lb) of ammonium nitrate fertiliser for terrorism.
Mr Khyam and Shujah Mahmood further deny possessing aluminium powder for terrorism.
They were arrested on 30 March, 2004, after the fertiliser was found stored in a west London depot.
The Ministry of Sound, founded 15 years ago, has a capacity of 1,800 clubbers.
The case was adjourned until Friday.
Story from BBC NEWS:
He and another member of the alleged cell linked to al-Qaeda appeared to discuss targets in surveillance tapes.
Seven of the men deny conspiring with a Canadian to cause explosions. Four of the men also deny having chemicals suitable for bomb-making.
In the secret security surveillance recordings, Omar Khyam, 24, of Crawley, West Sussex, is heard apparently discussing targeting utility companies with the help of recruits with inside knowledge, to cut off essential supplies around the country.
But another of the alleged plotters, Jawad Akbar, 22, also of Crawley, says the well-known central London nightclub was a softer target for a terror attack, according to the prosecution.
'Easy stuff'
The prosecution claimed the recording was made at Akbar's then home in Uxbridge, west London, on 22 February, 2004.
On the tape Jawad Akbar: "What about easy stuff where you don't need no experience and nothing and you could get a job, yeah, like for example the biggest nightclub in central London where no-one can even turn round and say "oh they were innocent" those slags dancing around?
Omar Khyam: "If you get a job in a bar, yeah, or a club, say the Ministry of Sound, what are you planning to do there then?"
Jawad Akbar: "Blow the whole thing up."
Omar Khyam: "That's what I'm saying."
Jawad Akbar: "I think the club thing you could do, but the gas would be much harder. There's people who even get in with their searching stuff but it's only bouncers that search you."
Omar Khyam said: "The explosion in the clubs, yeah, that's fine, bro, that's not a problem. The training for that is available. To get them into the Ministry of Sound really isn't difficult."
Mr Akbar asked Mr Khyam if he thought the place was bugged to which he replied he did not think so.
'Devastating consequences'
Gary Smart, the Ministry of Sound's general manager, said in a statement read to court that 1.5 million people had visited it since it opened.
He said: "If the Ministry of Sound was to be subjected to terrorist attack, then it's clear that the consequences could be devastating with such a large number of people in such a confined space.
"The impact could result in loss of life, injury or structural damage."
Mr Akbar, Mr Khyamand his brother Shujah Mahmood, 19, and Waheed Mahmood, 34, both of Crawley, Salahuddin Amin, 31, of Luton, Beds, Anthony Garcia, 23, of Ilford, east London, and Nabeel Hussain, 21, of Horley, Surrey, deny conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life between 1 January, 2003 and 31 March, 2004.
Mr Khyam, Mr Garcia and Mr Hussain also deny a charge under the Terrorism Act of possessing 600kg (1,300lb) of ammonium nitrate fertiliser for terrorism.
Mr Khyam and Shujah Mahmood further deny possessing aluminium powder for terrorism.
They were arrested on 30 March, 2004, after the fertiliser was found stored in a west London depot.
The Ministry of Sound, founded 15 years ago, has a capacity of 1,800 clubbers.
The case was adjourned until Friday.
Story from BBC NEWS:
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