Man guilty of plotting airline suicide attacks

A Muslim man was today found guilty of conspiracy to murder by plotting with Abdulla Ahmed Ali, the convicted ringleader of the foiled plan to blow up passenger jets.

Adam Khatib, 22, of Walthamstow, east London, was convicted by a majority of 11 jurors to one following an eight-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

Ali was jailed for a minimum of 40 years in September after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to murder by planning suicide attacks on transatlantic aircraft.

Three other men, Assad Sarwar, Tanvir Hussain and Umar Islam, were also convicted in September of playing key roles in the plot.

Co-defendant Mohammed Shamin Uddin, 39, of Stoke Newington, north London, was found not guilty of preparing for terrorism by meeting Ali on July 19 2006 and of researching or permitting to research being carried out into the use and purchase of hydrogen peroxide.

He was also found not guilty of possessing materials, namely a CD, which could be used for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

However, the jury of seven women and five men unanimously convicted Uddin on the alternative count of possessing materials, namely a CD, likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Co-defendant Nabeel Hussain, 25, of Chingford, east London was found guilty by an 11-1 majority of preparing for terrorism by meeting Ali twice in July 2006 and of possessing several items, namely a will, mobile phones and a £25,000 loan application, for use in terrorism.

The jury reached its verdicts after 31 hours and 11 minutes of deliberations over six days.

Mr Justice Calvert-Smith adjourned sentencing until 10.30am tomorrow at Woolwich Crown Court.