Jury fails to reach verdict on two charged with 21/7 bomb plot

by Duncan Campbell

London: The four July 21 suicide bomb plotters were "dedicated terrorists" who set out to recreate the July 7 attacks on London, police said, after a jury failed to reach a verdict on two further alleged conspirators.

Muktar Said Ibrahim, 29, said to be the brains behind the scheme to attack the capital's transport network, will be sentenced today alongside fellow plotters Hussain Osman, 26, Ramzi Mohammed, 25, and Yassin Omar, 26. All four were found guilty at Woolwich crown court on Monday of conspiracy to murder.

Peter Clarke, the head of Scotland Yard's counterterrorism command, welcomed the convictions and praised those who had helped bring them to justice.

"These men obviously set out to replicate the horrors that had been inflicted on Londoners on July 7 2005," he said. "But this was no spur of the moment plan: it had been hatched over several months. They failed to set off their bombs - not through want of trying.

"No one will forget the impact or the consequences of what they did, coming just two weeks after 52 innocent people had been murdered by other terrorists."

The men had claimed that the bombs had been meant as a protest against the Iraq war and had not been intended to cause injury and death. The jury did not accept their story. Mitigation pleas are due today on behalf of the convicted men.

The jury was discharged yesterday after failing to reach a verdict on the two remaining defendants, Adel Yahya and Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, who were also charged with conspiracy to murder.

After more than seven days of deliberation, the jury forewoman told Mr Justice Fulford QC they did not believe they would reach a verdict even if they were given more time. A decision is likely to be made today regarding any retrial.

It was alleged that Mr Asiedu, 33, a painter and decorator from north London, had been part of the plot but had dumped his rucksack bomb in Little Wormwood Scrubs, west London.

He claimed he had been unaware of any plot to cause fatalities and distanced himself from the other defendants during the six-month trial.

Mr Yahya, 24, from Tottenham, north London, who was not in the country on July 21, allegedly attended a Lake District training camp with the convicted men. He also denied involvement.

Mr Justice Fulford told the nine women and three men of the jury that they had carried out an important service. "Your patience, good humour and perseverance in the face of this lengthy trial has been exemplary," he said. "You have my wholehearted thanks."

"Many of you have made significant and personal sacrifices to participate in these proceedings and you have had to make very important decisions having reviewed a huge weight of evidence," he said, excusing them from ever having to serve ion a jury again.

The trial lasted six months. Originally the jury had been told it would last three. Police also commended members of the public for their response on the day. Mr Clarke said: "Despite the carnage of July 7, on July 21 the public responded courageously and without thought for their own safety.

We can all salute the incredible courage of Angus Campbell as he confronted Ramzi Mohammed when he tried to set off his bomb and we can reflect on the selfless actions of other members of the public as they tried to restrain or chase the terrorists."

He said the convictions showed that the jury had rejected "the blatant, indeed ridiculous, lies told by these defendants in a futile attempt to escape justice ... These men are dedicated terrorists who no longer pose a danger to the public, but recent events have shown that the threat from terrorism is, at the moment, ever present."

The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, also expressed her gratitude to those who had intervened on the day of the failed attacks and to the police.

"This is the sixth terrorism trial to end this year, in which a total of 25 individuals have been convicted," she said. "The number of convictions to date is thanks to the hard work, dedication and commitment of the men and women in the police, security service and prosecuting authorities in the face of a very real and serious threat.

"I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of those members of the public who put themselves at risk trying to apprehend the bombers."

The Guardian, UK