Telegraph : Easter bomb plot 'leader' sent coded emails

Easter bomb plot 'leader' sent coded emails

By Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent | July 28, 2009

The leader of an alleged terrorist cell said to be plotting an Easter bomb attack in Manchester sent emails about his girlfriend which were actually coded messages about the plot, it has been claimed.

The Pakistani student, referred to only as XC who lived in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester, was the "lynchpin" of a gang that was only seven to 12 days from "executing a major terrorist bomb attack in the UK" when he was arrested on April 8, it was claimed.

Although he was not charged with any offence the Home Office is trying to deport him on the grounds he was a member of a "UK based network linked to al-Qaeda involved in attack planning."

It had been suggested that the targets were shopping centres in the city but the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) in London heard that the attack was against an "unspecified target."

SIAC was also told that police seized 64 computers and found a number of "oddly phrased emails" to and from XC, some of which used the terms "crystal clear," said to refer to chemicals, and "weak and difficult to convince" said to refer to the concentration of the bomb-making chemical hydrogen peroxide.

The commission heard that police had also found an A to Z map of Manchester on which a number of streets had been marked.

The gang, not including XC, were said to be under observation as they were "running and dancing" in the hills of Wales.

They were also seen meeting together on a number of other occasions.

Further details were heard behind closed doors as part of a bail hearing for XC but Richard Hermer QC for the appellant said the open evidence was of a "pitiful quality" and that the investigation by MI5 had been "at best incompetent."

"Despite what we assume was the most rigorous of counter-terrorism investigations, not one jot of evidence was found of bomb-making," he added.

He said the attempt by the security service to interpret the emails had failed to find any regular euphamisms in what they claimed was a "code" and they had admitted that the terms could also refer to weapons or recruiting other extremists.

"Context is everything and what needs to be done is to look at the totality of the respondent's use of the internet. If this is done the case will dissolve."

Mr Hermer said XC had sent hundreds of emails and been a regular visitor to Muslim websites and chat rooms in connection with a relationship.

He said police had been able to trace a young woman through XC's text messages who confirmed that she was in a relationship with him and they were talking about marriage.

Mr Hermer added that if there had been any evidence of a link to al-Qaeda, the government would have been obliged to have added the men's names to a United Nations list.

"He is a 23-year-old who has been branded as a terrorist with the intent to kill others and he wants to clear his name," Mr Hermer said.

Out of the 11 men arrested, a British man was released without charge, one has returned to Pakistan voluntarily, six others are also appealing against deportation and two have been bailed pending deportation for visa irregularities, although Robin Tam QC for the Home Secretary, claimed they were "involved in an extreme Islamist network."

APP : Judgement on Pakistan students bail application reserved

Judgement on Pakistan students bail application reserved

July 28, 2009

LONDON, July 28 (APP)‑The bail applications moved by two Pakistani students, detained by the British authorities on reasons of national security, has been reserved till Wednesday by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission. The bail applications on behalf of Abdul Wahab Khan and Shoaib Khan were moved at the Royal Courts of Justice in Central London Tuesday by Barrister Sigbhatullah Kadri and solicitor Amjad Malik.

A similar application filed by Abid Naseer on Monday was also reserved pending decision later this week.

The students were among 12 persons arrested last April in a security swoop across north west England by the British anti‑terror units.

After three weeks, the charges were dropped on lack of evidence but the students, ten of whom came from the Frontier Province, were handed over to the UK Borders Agency for deportation.

One of them Tariq‑ur‑Rehman returned home last month on his own after the British authorities agreed to withdraw deportation charges. The authorities have already released two other students Janas Khan and Sher Khan from detention.

APP : Judgement on Pakistan students bail application reserved

Judgement on Pakistan students bail application reserved

July 28, 2009

LONDON, July 28 (APP)‑The bail applications moved by two Pakistani students, detained by the British authorities on reasons of national security, has been reserved till Wednesday by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission. The bail applications on behalf of Abdul Wahab Khan and Shoaib Khan were moved at the Royal Courts of Justice in Central London Tuesday by Barrister Sigbhatullah Kadri and solicitor Amjad Malik.

A similar application filed by Abid Naseer on Monday was also reserved pending decision later this week.

The students were among 12 persons arrested last April in a security swoop across north west England by the British anti‑terror units.

After three weeks, the charges were dropped on lack of evidence but the students, ten of whom came from the Frontier Province, were handed over to the UK Borders Agency for deportation.

One of them Tariq‑ur‑Rehman returned home last month on his own after the British authorities agreed to withdraw deportation charges. The authorities have already released two other students Janas Khan and Sher Khan from detention.