Terror suspect 'caught making bomb'

Police found three bottles of liquid chemicals with hand-written notes in the flat of Syrian-born Hassan Tabbakh, 38, Birmingham Crown Court was told.

Speeches by al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and Islamic chanting were also found on his MP3 player.

Tabbakh, of Camelot Way, Small Heath, Birmingham, is alleged to have been attempting to make explosive devices in December last year.

He denies a charge of preparing for terrorist acts by obtaining chemicals and "compiling and retaining" a document with instructions for making an explosive device.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Max Hill QC said: "The Crown's case is that this defendant was caught in the process of a practical attempt to create improvised explosive devices.

"Because he was caught in the act, it follows that the defendant had not completed his task, so the bombs were not finally constructed. Equally, because he was caught in the act, neither the written instructions nor the bomb mixtures had reached their destination."

Mr Hill said the target for the bombs was unknown because Tabbakh was stopped by police before "any atrocity could be attempted".

Tabbakh was arrested on December 18, 2007 as he walked along Jenkins Street in Small Heath. The bottles were recovered from his flat during a search.

In police interview, Tabbakh said he was using the chemicals to make fireworks for the forthcoming Islamic festival of Eid.