Five deny July 21 bomb plot to target Tube and bus
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Five men have denied plotting to blow up bus and Underground passengers in London on 21 July last year.
The defendants were arrested after bombs in rucksacks were found at three Tube stations and on a bus. A fifth unexploded device was left in bushes near Wormwood Scrubs in west London.
Ibrahim Muktar Said, 27; Ramzi Mohamed, 23; Yassin Omar, 24, and Hussain Osman, 27, all from London, denied charges of conspiracy, together with unknown people, to murder and to cause explosions.
They also denied the attempted murder of transport users and having improvised explosives with intent to endanger life. Their trial at the Old Bailey is due to start on 3 October.
Mr Osman, Mr Omar and Mr Mohamed pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of passengers on the Transport for London system. Mr Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to murder passengers on a No 26 bus. Manfo Asiedu, 32, was not charged with attempted murder and denied the other allegations.
A sixth man, Adel Yahya, 23, from London, was remanded to appear at another hearing in June. He was charged with conspiracy to cause explosions likely to endanger life, but did not enter a plea.
The suspects, who are being held in two prisons, appeared by video link at the Old Bailey. They spoke only to confirm their names during the 90-minute hearing. Proceedings were held up for 10 minutes when the judge discovered that the defendants could not hear clearly what was being said in court. In separate hearings, 11 other people appeared on video links to face charges of assisting alleged offenders and failing to disclose information about terrorism.
Mr Osman's wife, Yeshiemebet Girma, 29; her sister Muluemebet Girma, 21, and their brother Essayas Girma, 20, all from Stockwell, south London, were remanded pending a separate hearing in June. Also remanded were Shadi Abdelgadir, 22; Omar Almoghoul, 20, and Mohammed Kabashi, 23, all from Brighton, East Sussex.
They were accused of assisting a suspected offender, Mr Osman, and failing to disclose information on terrorism. All but Mr Yeshiemebet and Mr Kabashi - who appeared by video link from prison - were on bail.
In a third hearing, five men were remanded for trial on 16 April next year after they denied helping the men allegedly behind the July 21 bomb plot. They pleaded not guilty to charges of failing to disclose information about terrorism and helping an offender.
Ismail Abdurahman, 23, was remanded on bail. Ali Siraj, 31, of New Southgate, north London; Abdul Sharif, 28, of Stockwell, south London; Whabi Mohammed, 23, of Notting Hill, and Muhedin Ali, 27, of Ladbroke Grove, both west London, were remanded in custody. Mr Abdurahman, Mr Sharif and Mr Mohammed denied assisting an offender by providing accommodation, clothing, a passport and digital camera to Mr Osman and making arrangements for him to leave the UK.
Mr Siraj, of New Southgate, north London, denied assisting an offender and two charges of withholding information about acts of terrorism.