Alleged July 21 terrorist set up bomb booby trap, court told
Muktar Said Ibrahim was one of four men who tried to detonate rucksack devices around the capital two weeks after 52 people were killed on July 7, Woolwich Crown Court was told.
Mr Ibrahim — who had served time in jail and was a convicted sex offender, the jury was told — has always insisted his home-made devices were never meant to explode, just frighten people as a protest against the war in Iraq.
But in a sensational twist to the two-month trial, a co-defendant turned against him, saying Mr Ibrahim wanted a “copycat” of 7/7 but only “bigger and better”.
The claims came from the defence barrister representing Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, the alleged fifth bomber, who is said to have lost his nerve before dumping his device near Little Wormwood Scrubs.
Yesterday, Stephen Kamlish QC said Mr Asiedu had “broken ranks” with his fellow defendants and he now sits apart from them in the dock. Mr Kamlish told the jury Mr Ibrahim, 29, was the self-proclaimed “emir” or prince of the group who had ordered Mr Asiedu to take part in the attack.
He designed the booby trap at 58 Curtis House, New Southgate — the alleged bomb factory — to go off when the police entered the premises, the court heard.
“Four real bombs on the tube and one block of flats, a tower, destroyed, going up in a ball of flames. That was your plan wasn’t it?
“We say your 21/7 bombs were to be bigger and better in your twisted thinking than that of 7/7.”
In a heated exchange, Mr Ibrahim, the alleged bus bomber, repeatedly denied the claims, exclaiming angrily at one point: “This is totally not true, I do not know why Asiedu is making these accusations.”
Before the nine-woman, three-man jury, Mr Kamlish said: “Your plan was to explode real bombs on the London transport system. These were not to be hoax devices.”
He said Mr Asiedu was only brought in at the last minute because “you lost your bottle”.
The trial was adjourned until today.
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