Brit trio convicted for liquid bomb terror plot

Conspiracy to commit murder - not bomb planes

By Austin Modine • Get more from this author

Posted in Crime, 8th September 2008 23:24 GMT

Three of eight British men accused of plotting to blow up seven trans-Atlantic airliners using liquid explosives were convicted today of conspiracy to commit murder.

The jury, however, didn't find any of the men guilty of the actual headline-grabbing charges that lead to a worldwide clamp-down on liquids in carry-on baggage.

Guilty verdicts were returned Monday against Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27; Assad Sarwar, 28; and Tanvir Hussain, 27 of conspiracy to commit murder.

Ali, Sarwar, and Hussain admitted to plotting to detonate an explosive device at Heathrow's terminal three because it was used by several US airlines, according to The Guardian.

The jury didn't reach verdicts against any of the eight men on the plane-bombing charges. No verdicts were reached against the other four men accused of the plot: Umar Islam, 30; Arafat Waheed Khan 26; Ibrahim Savant, 27; and Waheed Zaman, 24.

Mohammad Gulzar, 27, who Scotland Yard accused of being a ringleader in the plot, was cleared of all offenses.

During the lengthy trial, prosecutors claimed the men planned to detonate explosives consisting of a chemical mixture inside 500ml Lucozade and Oasis bottles. Authorities claim if the plot was successful, more than 1,500 people would have been killed.

The Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement, "The prosecution is considering a request for retrial in respect of the plot to blow up airliners against all seven men upon which the jury could not agree."

The judge set a December 26 deadline for a retrial decision. ®

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