A BLACKBURN car dealer who was part of a terror cell plotting 9/11-style attacks on Britain and America has today been jailed for 22 years.

Junade Feroze, 31, of Malham Gardens, Audley, Blackburn, had earlier admitted conspiracy to cause an explosion.

Six other members of the cell were also jailed today. The members' sentences total 136 years.

Woolwich Crown Court had earlier been told that they were recruited by al Qaida "general" Dhiren Barot, who is serving a life sentence after admitting plotting to cause mass murder earlier this year.

Feroze had been arrested at gunpoint by anti-terror police in Preston Old Road, Cherry Tree, in August 2004.

At sentencing today, Mr Justice Butterfield said: "Barot was the instigator of this terrorist planning.

"He was by some considerable distance the principal in the conspiracy.

"Each of you was recruited by Barot and assisted him at his request.

"Sentencing must make plain to those of you who become involved in such cowardly plots that if convicted the consequences will inevitably be severe.

"I acknowledge that your wives, children and parents will suffer greatly as a consequence of the lengthy prison sentences but the suffering is but a tiny fraction of the suffering that would have been experienced had your plans been translated into reality.

"A loss of life on a massive scale would at least have been the possible consequence had this proposal been effected.

"Barot in his own words was intent on creating another memorable black day for the enemies of Islam' a reference to the events of 9/11."

As well as Feroze, fellow plotters Nadeem Tarmohamed, 29, Omar Rehman, 23, Zia Ul Haq, 28, Abdul Aziz Jalil, 34, and Mohammed Naveed Bhatti, 27, Qaisar Shaffi, 28, were vital members of Barot's support team.Mr Justice Butterfield sentenced Bhatti to 20 years, Feroze for 22 years, Ul Haq for 18 years, Jalil for 26 years, Rehman for 15 years, Shaffi for 15 years and Tarmohamed for 20 years.The gang will remain on licence for five years after their release to allow the authorities to 'keep an eye' on them, said Mr Justice Butterfield.

Despite being convicted of conspiracy to murder the judge accepted Shaffi only had a limited role by accompanying Barot to New York for a month and acting as a 'decoy'.

The judge reflected this by sentencing Shaffi to only 15 years jail.