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Failed London bomber studied Osama tapes

2/7/2007, 12:04 p.m. ET
By TARIQ PANJA
The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — A man accused of planning to detonate a bomb on London's transportation system often spoke about martyrdom and listened to the speeches of Osama bin Laden and radical preachers, a witness testified Wednesday.

Muktar Said Ibrahim, 29, is one of six men accused of plotting to detonate explosives on four subway trains and a bus, two weeks after four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters in London in July 2005.

The witness — described as a former roommate of Ibrahim — testified from behind a screen to protect his identity and was identified by the alias Michael Bexhill. He said the suspect often watched extremist films, showing "martyrs" reading their wills and graphic video of people dying.

He would also discuss fighting those who were against jihad, including the British, Americans and Russians and listened to speeches by bin Laden and London-based radical preacher Abu Hamza al-Masri, Bexhill said.

Ibrahim harbored "fanatical" and "radical" religious views, the witness told Woolwich Crown Court.

"Actually he used to speak about jihad and he used to be against those people who did not like people doing jihadi actions," he said.

When asked to explain "jihad" by prosecutor Nigel Sweeney, he replied: "Fighting against those people who are killing Muslim people."

"He mentioned also the British army are killing Muslims people, so he has to fight against them," he said.

Bexhill said he came to Britain in 2001 to study English in East Sussex, south of London, before moving to the capital in 2004, when he met another defendant, Adel Yahya. Yahya offered him a room at Ibrahim's home, where he stayed for three months, he said.

Bexhill told the jury of nine women and three men that Ibrahim had been "trained" in Sudan and learned how to use a rocket-propelled grenade.

He said after he moved out of Ibrahim's flat, the alleged bomber told him he was going to complete the Muslim hajj pilgrimage and then go "for jihad."

"Muktar Ibrahim told me that maybe I wouldn't see him again, maybe we are going to see each other in heaven," Bexhill said.

Ibrahim; Ramzi Mohamed, 25; Yassin Omar, 26; Manfu Asiedu, 33; Yahya, 24; and Hussain Osman, 28 — all from London — deny charges of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions.

Omar, Yahya, Ibrahim and a man named Hakhim went to a training camp in Scotland with a large number of friends in summer 2004, Bexhill said.

"They were doing some training, but without weapons so they could prepare to go to jihad in Afghanistan or in Iraq," he said.

Responding to Sweeney's question about the purpose of the group's trip to Scotland, Bexhill replied: "Preparing themselves for jihad."

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/war/index.ssf?/base/international-21/1170868182313230.xml&storylist=njterror