Members of an alleged Islamist terror cell accused of planning a bigger attack than the 7/7 bombings spoke of driving around in a car “to take on England”, a court heard today.
Transcripts were played to the jury of conversations recorded by an MI5 bug planted in a suspect’s car.
The discussion, just days before their arrest, was between alleged gang leaders Irfan Naseer, Irfan Khalid and Ashik Ali and his brother Bahader Ali.
They talk about Formula 1 racing and cars before Khalid said: “It’s the four suicide bombers driving around ready to take on England.” He added: “Oh my God ... Take them out.”
The conversation followed an earlier exchange in which they discussed a bizarre plot to cause multiple deaths with a giant blade attached to a giant truck dubbed the “Ultimate Mowing Machine”.
The court also heard today that the bug caught the gang discussing buying themselves gifts such as a quad bike, “knowing [their] time is coming to an end”.
Naseer, 31, Khalid, 27, and Ashik Ali, 27, all from Birmingham, have pleaded not guilty at Woolwich crown court to engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorism between December 2010 and their arrest in September last year.
The court has heard that had their plan to detonate eight rucksacks full of homemade explosives been successful it would have caused greater carnage than the July 2005 attacks.
One of the defendants is alleged to have boasted that they were planning “another 9/11”.
The jury has been told that six other Birmingham-based extremists have already pleaded guilty to their part in the alleged plot.
The case continues.
