Suspect 'broke down' after arrest

Qaisar Shaffi is alleged to have helped Dhiren Barot - jailed last year for his plans to kill "hundreds if not thousands" of people - with his hopes of targeting the United States.

Shaffi, 28, from Willesden in north west London, accompanied Barot on a reconnaissance trip several months before 9/11 to view the targets being considered, it was claimed. Among them was the New York Stock Exchange and the IMF building, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

Prosecution counsel Johnathan Laidlaw said Shaffi was one of seven "trusted" lieutenants who supported Barot through his years of terrorist planning. But he is the only one to stand trial after his six co-defendants pleaded guilty last week to plotting with Barot.

After his arrest in 2004, Shaffi was allowed to make a phone call, which was overheard. Mr Laidlaw told the jury: "He effectively admitted his part in the terrorist planning. During a tearful conversation with his father he was heard to say 'Dad, I don't know when I'll be out. I won't be out soon.

"'I might not be out for five years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, ever, I don't know. Pray for me'."

Mr Laidlaw said Shaffi added: "'They know I went to America, they know who I met, they know names and say I know people. Dad, pray for me. I'm sorry for what I have done'."

Shaffi denies conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion or explosions likely to endanger life. He also denies possessing a record of information for terrorist purposes, namely an extract from the Terrorist Handbook. His six co-defendants all admitted to conspiracy to cause explosions likely to endanger life and will be sentenced at a later date. Opening the case, Mr Laidlaw said Barot had planned to target buildings in Newark, New York and Washington.

Blueprints for these attacks were then to be used on buildings in London and on the transport system around the capital, the court heard. But in order to carry out these atrocities, he needed help, the barrister told the jury.

Shaffi was arrested on August 4 2004, the same day as Barot and his former co-defendants, and taken to Paddington Green high security police station. Searching Shaffi's house, police found pages of the Terrorist Handbook which referred to chemicals, explosives and recipes for producing explosions, the jury was told.