Wednesday, March 22 2006 10:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: A seven-member gang of alleged terrorists of Pakistani origin armed with explosives has been arrested just before they decided on targets for a bombing campaign on the British mainland, a court was told here.

The gangsters are charged with conspiring between January 1, 2003 and March 31, 2004, to 'cause by explosive substances, an explosion or explosions of a nature likely to endanger life'.

The accused are Omar Khyam, 24, Waheed Mahmood, 34, Shujah Mahmood, 19, and Jawad Akbar, 22, all from Crawley, West Sussex, Anthony Garcia alias Rahman Adam, 23, of Ilford, East London, Nabeel Hussain, 20, of Horley, Surrey and Salahuddin Amin, 31, from Luton, Bedfordshire. They deny the charges.

On the first day of a four-month long trial of the gangsters, all British citizens of Pakistani origin, a jury at the Old Bailey was told yesterday(Mar 21,2006) that a plot stretching from New York to London and Pakistan was hatched in 2003 to set off a series of explosions in the UK.

"The interception came only when most of the necessary components were in place and all that remained before their plans achieved their ultimate goal was for the target or targets to be finally agreed," said David Waters, QC, prosecuting.

"They played their respective roles in a plan to acquire the ingredients necessary to manufacture a bomb or bombs which would be deployed at the very least to destroy strategic plants within the United Kingdom, or more realistically to kill and injure citizens of the UK," he said.