Stock Exchange plotters ruled out suicide bombing

The men planned to terrorise people and to damage the economy and property

A group of men decided against becoming suicide bombers because they wanted a "long-term future" as terrorists, a court has been told.

Mohammed Chowdhury, Shah Rahman, Gurukanth Desai and Abdul Miah have pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism.

The men, from London and Cardiff, were arrested in December 2010 and are being sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court.

Five other men have pleaded guilty to other terrorism offences.

Opening the Crown's case at the start of a three-day sentencing hearing Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting, said between them the nine men possessed "almost every famous jihadi publication" including copies of an online al-Qaeda magazine called Inspire.

Chowdhury, 21, and Rahman, 28, both from London; Desai, 30 and Miah, 25, all from Cardiff, have admitted the more serious offences.

Omar Latif, 28, from Cardiff; Usman Khan, 20, Mohammed Shahjahan 27, Nazam Hussain, 26, and Mohibur Rahman, 27, all from Stoke-on-Trent, have pleaded guilty to lesser offences.

But Mr Edis said they were all part of the same group.

'Serious acts of terrorism'

He said: "In October 2010 these nine defendants decided to form a group whose purpose was to support and commit acts of terrorism in furtherance of their religious belief.

"Travel abroad was contemplated by some in order that they could acquire skills necessary to commit such acts effectively, acts of terrorism involving harm, often including death, serious injury, terror and very substantial economic harm to the community at which they were aimed."

Mr Edis added: "These defendants had in overview decided that ultimately they would be responsible for very serious acts of terrorism.

"What was observed during the indictment period was planning for the immediate future, not involving suicide attacks, so that there would be a long-term future which would include further acts of terrorism."

One of the publications they possessed was Inspire, an English-language online magazine.

Its first issue featured an article on how to "Make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom", complete with step-by-step instructions.

The court was told this could produce a "viable" and lethal device within hours.

Another issue described creating the "ultimate mowing machine" by welding blades to the front and side of a 4x4 car and driving it into pedestrians.