The men were arrested in Leicester in September 2001
Posted on 02/05/2003 1:15:40 PM PST by MadIvan
The men were arrested in Leicester in September 2001 |
Two Algerian men plotted to supply terrorists with money and recruits for a global holy war directed by Osama Bin Laden, Leicester Crown Court has heard.
Brahim Benmerzouga, 31, and Baghdad Meziane, 38, of Leicester, deny "entering into a funding arrangement for the purpose of terrorism".
Mark Ellison, prosecuting, said they had conspired to send recruits to training camps and provide materials to promote and justify terrorism against "enemies of Islam".
These included cash, radio parts, solar batteries, items to facilitate travel, fake bank cards and stolen account details, he told the jury.
False identities
Mr Benmerzouga admits having three fake passports and plotting to commit fraud by making and using fake bank cards and card details.
Mr Meziane denied he was part of that conspiracy but admitted he also had a fake passport - in the name of Cyril Jacob.
The court heard they had used these passports to open bank accounts, claim benefits and gain employment in Britain.
Mr Ellison said Mr Meziane had claimed £2,000 income support, housing benefit and council tax relief and worked illegally at a food factory in Corby, Northamptonshire, as Cyril Jacob.
Mr Ellison said the pair had also lied about when they entered Britain.
Stolen passport
The lawyer said Mr Meziane had been in Britain since 1997, but claimed asylum in March 1999 after telling authorities he had just arrived in the country and that his life would be in danger if he returned to Algeria.
He had previously claimed asylum under a false name in Germany and had been deported from Holland, Mr Ellison added.
Mr Benmerzouga told police he had left Algeria in 2000 and entered the UK after buying a false passport in Holland.
But, according to Mr Ellison, he opened a bank account in Richmond, south-west London, in 1997 using a stolen Belgian passport.
Shocking videos
And he was arrested in December 1999 after trying to open another account in Edmonton, north London.
The passport was seized - but Mr Benmerzouga skipped bail, according to Mr Ellison.
Flanked by armed police, the two men sat behind bullet-proof glass with an interpreter, who translated the proceedings into Arabic.
Mr Ellison said they controlled a large collection of "shocking and heavily religious" videos, including 19 copies of a film devoted to Bin Laden's speeches.
Suicide bombings
Some of the videos showed graphic and real violence against Muslims by the US and their allies, he added.
Others focused on suicide bombings in Israel and elsewhere.
The men also had pamphlets blaming trouble in Chechnya, the Palestinian territories, Kashmir, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Turkey and Morocco on the "new crusader policies" of the United States, Mr Ellison said.
They said Muslims had a duty to fight "the Americans, their Christian allies and the Jews" and all governments that tolerated them, he told the court.
The trial continues.
Regards, Ivan
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