LONDON, England (AP) -- Jurors saw video Thursday of a man accused of plotting to blow up trans-Atlantic aircraft praising Osama bin Laden and vowing to wage a holy war against nonbelievers.
Umar Islam was shown praising Osama Bin Laden on the video played Thursday at his trial.
Umar Islam, 29, made the comments in a video found in the trunk of a car belonging to another suspect. Prosecutors say it was a suicide video intended to be viewed after his death.
Islam and seven others are charged with plotting to detonate bombs aboard airliners bound from London to the United States and Canada using explosives concealed in soft drink bottles. Prosecutors say they were close to carrying out their plan when they were arrested in August 2006. The men deny the charges.
Islam's 19-minute video was shown to the jury at Woolwich Crown Court for the first time Thursday. Clips of it and other alleged "martyrdom" videos made by several other suspects were played in court last week.
In his video, Islam -- formerly known as Brian Young -- says there is "an obligation on me as a Muslim to wage jihad against the Kuffar," or nonbeliever.
"This is revenge for the actions of the USA in the Muslim lands and their accomplices such as the British and the Jews," he says.
Umar Islam was shown praising Osama Bin Laden on the video played Thursday at his trial.
Umar Islam, 29, made the comments in a video found in the trunk of a car belonging to another suspect. Prosecutors say it was a suicide video intended to be viewed after his death.
Islam and seven others are charged with plotting to detonate bombs aboard airliners bound from London to the United States and Canada using explosives concealed in soft drink bottles. Prosecutors say they were close to carrying out their plan when they were arrested in August 2006. The men deny the charges.
Islam's 19-minute video was shown to the jury at Woolwich Crown Court for the first time Thursday. Clips of it and other alleged "martyrdom" videos made by several other suspects were played in court last week.
In his video, Islam -- formerly known as Brian Young -- says there is "an obligation on me as a Muslim to wage jihad against the Kuffar," or nonbeliever.
"This is revenge for the actions of the USA in the Muslim lands and their accomplices such as the British and the Jews," he says.
Source: AP
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