Accused 'had limitless ambition'

Canary Wharf, a gas pipeline, oil refineries and nuclear power stations may have been in their sights, a jury was told.

Woolwich Crown Court heard how eight men plotted to take liquid bombs disguised as drinks on board at least seven transatlantic jets.

Six of them recorded chilling suicide videos attacking Western governments and warning further attacks were to come, the court was told.

One accused the British of being too busy watching TV soap operas to care about anything, adding: "As you kill, you will be killed."

Two of the men were also bugged discussing whether they should take their wives and children on the suicide missions.

Prosecutor Peter Wright QC said one key figure obtained detailed information about other possible targets. He said Assad Sarwar was too important to give up his life in the wave of mid-air suicide attacks.

Mr Wright said: "The horizon in respect of Mr Sarwar's terrorist ambition was, we say, limitless."

The defendants are: Abdul Ali, aka Ahmed Ali Khan, 27, of Prospect Hill, Walthamstow; Sarwar, 27, of Walton Drive, High Wycombe; Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Nottingham Road, Leyton, east London; Mohammed Gulzar, 26, of Priory Road, Barking; Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Denver Road, Stoke Newington; Arafat Waheed Khan, 26, of Farnan Avenue, Walthamstow; Waheed Zaman, 23, of Queen's Road, Walthamstow; and Umar Islam, aka Brian Young, 29, of Bushey Road, Plaistow, east London.

They are accused of conspiring to murder and to endanger the safety of aircraft. All eight deny the charges.