Bomb plot trial shown film of balcony arrest

Dramatic images of the moment two of the alleged July 21 bombers surrendered to police were shown during their trial yesterday, in which they were seen emerging on to the balcony of a west London flat in their underwear and raising their arms.

In the four-and-a-half minute footage, Muktar Said Ibrahim and Ramzi Mohammed walked on to the balcony of the seventh floor flat where police had blown the door off its hinges and thrown CS gas canisters through the windows.

Mr. Ibrahim is accused of trying to detonate a rucksack bomb on the number 26 bus in Shoreditch, east London, and Mr Mohammed at Oval tube station, south London.

The firearms commander at the scene said officers continually tried to negotiate with the two men on the morning of July 29 2005 but received no response. "For everyone's safety we required them to come out with nothing physically about themselves, to dress down to their underwear," he told Woolwich crown court.

Mr. Ibrahim, 29, and Mr Mohammed, 25, along with four other men, are accused of plotting to carry out a series of explosions on the London transport system on July 21 2005. All deny charges of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions likely to endanger life.

The court also heard from Detective Constable Liam McCauley, who arrested Mr Ibrahim on suspicion of being connected with the 7/7 bombings, as well as July 21.

Guardian Unlimited