Bomb plot accused 'had vital roles'

The men were all "necessary components" of the conspiracy to detonate home-made bombs aboard flights to north America, a jury was told.

Woolwich Crown Court heard how, if successful, the "world was unlikely to ever forget" the series of murderous mid-air explosions.

Prosecutor Peter Wright QC said Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar and Mohammed Gulzar were the ringleaders of the plot.

But he added: "It is the Crown's case that each of these men in the dock had a vital role to perform.

"From commanding officer through quartermaster to footsoldier, each of them was a necessary component part; of those who had assembled in the UK ready, able and willing to play their part in this plot to try and bring terror to the skies in a way that the world was unlikely to ever forget."

The men are on trial accused of plotting to explode bombs on at least seven transatlantic aircraft. They deny the offences.

The jury has been told how the men transformed a top-floor flat in Forest Road, Walthamstow, into a bomb factory in July 2006.

The prosecution alleged they planned to make hydrogen peroxide bombs disguised as soft drinks and detonate them in mid-air. The arrests led to tightened security at airports worldwide as a ban on carrying most liquids caused travel chaos for passengers.

The defendants are: Ali, aka Ahmed Ali Khan, 27, of Prospect Hill, Walthamstow; Assad 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.