Morning:
8°c
Muslims get 7 years for plotting to train at
Nicholas Cecil and Paul Waugh29 Apr 2009
Two British Muslims cleared of planning the 7/7 bomb attacks on London were today both jailed for seven years for conspiracy to attend a training camp for terrorists.
Waheed Ali, 25, and Mohammed Shakil, 32, both of Leeds, were sentenced at Kingston crown court the day after a third British Muslim, Sadeer Saleem,28, was cleared of both charges. It came as MPs demanded the immediate publication of a secret report into possible MI5 failures linked to the 7/7 bombings.
The Intelligence and Security Committee has conducted a highly sensitive study into the security services' handling of the run-up to the 2005 London terror strikes. No publication date has been set, but the ISC's chairman, Kim Howells, today said he was “very keen” to release it. “We would publish it tomorrow if we were absolutely certain it was not going to impact on any other legal action that may be taken,” he said.
Senior figures today called for the release of the report, which was held back until the completion of the trial of three men accused of helping the bombers.
Ali, Saleem, and Shakil were acquitted yesterday of plotting the London bombings following a four-year investigation and two trials costing more than £100 million. Anti-terrorism officers have now conceded that no one will be prosecuted for the 52 deaths.
Families of those who died in the attack and survivors called for a public inquiry into perceived failings by the security forces.
The report is said to describe how MI5 and West Yorkshire police missed opportunities to follow two of the bombers, and details of MI5 monitoring four meetings in early 2004 between 7/7 ringleaders Mohammad Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer, and Omar Khyam, who plotted to blow up shopping centres and nightclubs and was jailed for life in 2007.
More details are believed to have emerged about what the agencies knew of training camps in Pakistan, and of people connected with the 7/7 bombers.
Andrew Mackinlay, a senior member of the foreign affairs select committee, said: “Clearly there are some people in the security and intelligence services who are seriously embarrassed, but we need to debate this report,” he said.
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: “The families deserve to know the full truth.”
Reader views (4)
These enemies of Britain have not been gaoled for 7 years, with automatic 50% remission they will serve only 3 1/2 years.
In the days before Billy Liar changed the treason laws, realising that he may one day have to face them himself, these terrorists could have been tried for treason and swung for it. Instead of that the British public have, once again, been failed by those who purport to protect us from our enemies.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 30/04/2009 09:08
Report abuse
How did the trial cost £100 million. how much was paid to those defending these brutes? someone did very nicely methinks.
- Kerry, Purley, 29/04/2009 17:11
Report abuse
Seven years !!!
Surely this merits life without parole/probation.
It is treason.
The law needs to change to strip them of their citizenship, confiscate family assets and deport defendents and family.
What a joke.
- Vijay Gupta, Southall, 29/04/2009 16:37
Report abuse
Good, sentences should have been longer...they were planning to take peoples lives...hope they get their come uppance inside....or probably educate those other career criminals on how to make bombs...well prison is a university of sorts to this sort of low life.
- Rosie, watford, 29/04/2009 16:30
Report abuse
