London Stock Exchange bomb plot: 4 radical Muslims planned to target Boris Johnson

  • The conspiracy involved nine Muslim defendants
  • They were all British, living in London, Cardiff and Stoke-on-Trent
  • Plot was stopped by undercover anti-terror police

By
Ted Thornhill

Last updated at 2:58 PM on 1st February 2012

Ringleader: Mohammed Chowdhury

Ringleader: Mohammed Chowdhury

Four radical home-grown Islamists have admitted an al Qaeda-inspired plot to detonate a bomb at the London Stock Exchange.

The Muslim fundamentalists’ group wanted to send five mail bombs to various targets during the run up to Christmas 2010, discussed launching a ‘Mumbai-style’ atrocity and even set off a small explosion at a meeting in Cardiff.

A hand-written target list found at one of the defendant’s homes listed the names and addresses of London Mayor Boris Johnson, two rabbis, the American Embassy and the Stock Exchange.

The total of nine men admitted various terror crimes at Woolwich Crown Court and will be sentenced next week.

‘Lynchpin’
Mohammed Chowdhury, 21, and his London accomplice Shah Rahman, 28, were
followed by undercover detectives on November 28, 2010, observing Big
Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye and the Palace of Westminster.

The
conspiracy involved nine defendants – the London duo, three from
Cardiff and four from Stoke – but was stopped by undercover anti-terror
police before firm dates could be set for attacks.

Though no firm dates were set and no homemade bombs created, the defendants had the wherewithal to do it, it was alleged.

Shah Rahman

Gurukanth Desai

Abdul Miah

Omar Latif

Usman Khan

Mohammed Shahjahan

Mohibur Rahman

Nazam Hussain

Guilty: (Top row and left on 2nd row) Shah Rahman, Gurukanth Desai and Abdul Miah, who were part of the quartet guilty of the most serious terror charges in the case. On the 2nd row, right, is Omar Latif, from Cardiff. Left to right on the third row are Usman Khan and Mohammed Shahjahan from Stoke and on the bottom row are Mohibur Rahman and Nazam Hussain, also from Stoke

They possessed the al Qaeda magazine Inspire, which contained a feature: ‘Make A Bomb In The Kitchen Of Your Mom.’

The threats were not just facing London.

The
Stoke quartet talked about leaving homemade bombs in the toilets of
their city’s pubs and discussed travelling abroad for terror training.

Chowdhury
and Rahman had Bangladeshi backgrounds like their Welsh accomplices,
whereas the Stoke terrorists had Pakistani backgrounds.

They also discussed how to make a pipe bomb.

It is also reported that Miah and Desai triggered a small explosive device at a meeting in Wales.

Their agenda is said to have included launching a Mumbai-style attack that would mimic the 2008 atrocity in India that saw Muslim extremists arrive at the port by boat and slaughter 166 people.

The massacre was eventually stopped by Indian commandos, who killed all the attackers except Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, who was arrested and remains in custody.

The terrorists met because of their membership of various hardcore Islamic groups and stayed in touch over the internet, through mobile phones and at specially arranged meetings – held in parks in a bid to make surveillance difficult.

The nine, all British nationals, were due to stand trial at Woolwich Crown Court but changed their pleas at the 11th hour.

Chowdhury,
of Stanliff House, Tower Hamlets and Shah Rahman, 28, of St Bernard’s
Road, Newham, both London, admitted preparing for acts of terrorism by
planning to plant an improvised explosive device (IED) in the toilets of
the London Stock Exchange.

They admitted the crime after a Goodyear hearing was held to give them an indication of their maximum sentences.

Target: The London Stock Exchange was on a list of terror targets found by police

Target: The London Stock Exchange was on a list of terror targets found by police

Devious: The group plotted to plant bombs in the toilets of the Stock Exchange

Devious: The group plotted to plant bombs in the toilets of the Stock Exchange

Plot: The group planned to send a mail bomb to the American Embassy in London

Plot: The group planned to send a mail bomb to the American Embassy in London

The judge, Mr Justice Wilkie, told Chowdhury he would receive 18-and-a-half years and Rahman, 17 years.

But
the duo will only serve in the region of six years – because five are
served on licence, prisoners only serve half their term as standard and
they have already been behind bars for more than 12 months.

Brothers
Gurukanth Desai, 30, of Albert Street, and Abdul Miah, 25, of Ninian
Park Road, both Cardiff, also admitted the same count.

Inspiration: The terrorists wanted to carry out a Mumbai-style attack. Pictured here is Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman of the 2008 atrocity

Inspiration: The terrorists wanted to carry out a Mumbai-style attack. Pictured here is Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman of the 2008 atrocity

The quartet aimed to plant the bomb ‘with the obvious attendant risk but without any intention to cause death or even injury but with the intention to terrorise, damage property and to cause economic damage’, said Christopher Blaxland QC, Chowdhury’s barrister.

Brothers Abdul Miah and his brother Gurukanth Desai were secretly recorded chatting about Muslims fighting alongside Hitler in the Second World War on their way to a terrorist meeting.

A covert bug caught them denying the Holocaust on a car journey from Cardiff to the Isle of Dogs, east London, where they were due to meet Chowdhury on November 28, 2010.

As they travelled through an area that was bombed during the Second World War, Miah was heard claiming attacks on Britain should be the duty of the Bengalis.

Desai went on to say that Hitler knew the Jews were dangerous and not even 100,000 were killed by the Nazis.

Target: London's Mayor Boris Johnson

Target: London’s Mayor Boris Johnson

Three of the Stoke defendants admitted a lesser, specific charge – engaging in conduct for the preparation of terrorism between November 1 and December 21, 2010 – namely travelling to and attending operational meetings, fundraising for terrorist training, preparing to travel abroad and assisting others in travelling abroad.

Usman Khan, 20, of Persia Walk, Mohammed Shahjahan 27, of Burmarsh Walk and Nazam Hussain, 26, of Grove Street, all Stoke, admitted attending those operational meetings in Roath Park, Cardiff on November 7 and in a Newport country park on December 12.

Omar Latif, 28, of Neville Street, Cardiff, admitted attending the meetings with the intention of assisting others to prepare or commit acts of terrorism.

The fourth Stoke defendant, Mohibur Rahman, admitted possessing an article for a terrorist purpose on December 20 2010.

Rahman, 27, of North Road, admitted being in possession of two editions of the al Qaeda magazine, Inspire, for terrorist purposes.

The nine were not members of al Qaeda but were inspired by the terror network and its former Yemeni boss, American-born Anwar al Awlaki, who was killed last year in a drone strike after leading al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

The nine defendants ‘were implementing the published strategy of AQAP’, said Andrew Edis QC, for the prosecution.

AQAP use internet propaganda to inspire radicals to carry out attacks against the nations in which they live.  

Surveillance: Chowdhury and Shah Rahman were both seen studying Westminster Abbey

Surveillance: Chowdhury and Shah Rahman were both seen studying Westminster Abbey

Tourist attraction: The London Eye also came under surveillance

Tourist attraction: The London Eye also came under surveillance

Speaking after the nine men pleaded guilty DAC Stuart Osborne, Senior National Coordinator Counter Terrorism, said: ‘We welcome the guilty pleas entered by all nine defendants today, following what was the largest counter terrorism operation of 2010.

‘The investigation was coordinated by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, working in close partnership with the national CT network, Staffordshire, South Wales and Metropolitan Police, the Security Service and Crown Prosecution Service.

‘Our priority is and always will be the protection of the public.’

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

They look like SUCH lovely people. Not at all repressed, bloodthirsty cowards. Hang em high – they’ll like that.

Rabid dogs get put down, why are they not treated the same ?

What terribly ugly people – inside and out.

These ‘humans’ literally have no benefits to society. Huge credit must be given to the Anti Terror Police. Call me old fashioned but if you plan to undergo such a sickening attack you should either be locked up for life and the key thrown away. (NO SKY TV! ) Or receive the same punishment as Mr Bin-Laden.

now we know that the real threat to this country are the peple like this lot who were born and raised here, and all probably living on the benefits we have to offer. probably the gurkhas who are threatened with redundancycould be retrained to sort this lot out. They are the ones we need not any more radcalised islamists.

If they don’t like this country lets ship they off to somewhere they would like. Why should the tax payer pay for these ‘people’ to stay in our prisons?
If they don’t like GREAT BRITAIN, leave, the door is always open!!

Crikey…looks they all fell out of the ugly tree and hit every single last branch on the way down.

Their faith executes their own in the name of “honour” so why should we have to put up ( and pay for! ) with them?

Its sad to see these youngsters…aiming to do something tht would bring devestation to people… as a muslim it upset me….very sad to see these guys r willing to kill people for whaever views they hold on to. wht gives them tht so called right to take life …..befre beating on other ppl they should look inside themseelves im sure they have plent mre things to fix befre taking wht thye belive is the big problems of the world on thyre shoulders……

The hatred these men harbour is directly proportional to their ugliness!

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