Blackburn men 'intoxicated by terrorism'

Abbas Iqbal, his brother Ilyas Iqbal, and their friend Muhammad Ali Ahmad, have gone on trial charged with terrorism-related offences at Manchester Crown Court.

Police raided the homes of Abbas, 24, and Ilyas, 23, both of Percival Street, and Ahmad, 26, of Whalley Range, after Abbas was arrested at Manchester Airport last summer, the court heard.

Edward Brown, prosecuting, said officers discovered a hoard of weapons and terrorist propaganda, including pictures of Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaeda members and videos of beheadings.

And he said other homemade footage showed the trio firing weapons at the back of the brother's houses, off Blackburn Road.

A jury heard how Abbas and another man were stopped and searched before they took a flight to northern Europe on August 14.

An electronic storage card was found in Abbas’ suitcase, which was designed to fit in his mobile phone.

It contained pictures of the trio firing weapons and two copies of a video entitled ‘The Blackburn Resistance’, shot in the style of “genuine Al Qaeda films”, the jury heard.

Mr Brown said each of the defendants had developed “extreme Islamist beliefs” and “a fascination” with violent jihad or holy war.

He said the trio had researched weaponry and filmed themselves carrying out “military-type activity” while accumulating material that would help them “radicalise” others.

He said: “It became clear the three had formed a group which styled itself ‘the Blackburn Resistance’ and which supported jihadi terrorism.

“Some of the material may at first seem almost comical in its amateurishness, but when you recall their purpose, they are less funny.

“The prosecution do not suggest that this group was a highly sophisticated, well trained or well funded terrorist cell.

“The prosecution does suggest however that these three young men from Blackburn had become intoxicated by the evil of terrorism and had started to train themselves to join or carry out jihad.”

The prosecutor said the group were preparing themselves for terrorist activity He said the raw material for their film was discovered on a computer found at one of the homes in Percival Street, but it also contained clips of executions and dead bodies, some taken in Iraq.

“It also had songs about jihad, other footage plainly encouraging jihadist activity and images, for example of beheadings,” he said.

“The evidence demonstrates that they were clearly fascinated by the jihad, supported its aims and ambitions and wanted to join.

“It may not have been highly professional, but they were doing the best they could, and were capable of being dangerous.”

After raiding the brothers’ homes police searched Ahmad’s house a few days later.

Formerly known as Paul Cryer, Ahmad changed his name in 2004 and described himself as a ‘revert’ to the Muslim faith.

Mr Brown said: “At the third defendant Muhammad Ahmad’s address was further extreme material, in his own hand.

“His telephone had images of machine guns, pictures of Osama Bin Laden, people being executed by their throats being slit and being shot, martyrdom videos, speeches encouraging jihad and the like.”

Mr Brown said the jury would have to make the distinction between “legitimate and understandable sympathy” for Muslims caught up in conflict abroad and violent and extremist intentions.

He said: “This case concerns three young British men who were arrested at a time when they were preparing themselves for terrorism.

“The prosecution in this case does no allege that any defendant actually committed an act of terrorism.

“The aim of the law is to prevent such acts from being perpetrated and therefore to stop those who are intending to do so, also to stop those who are encouraging others to do so.”

Abbas Iqbal is charged with possessing terrorist publications with a view to distribute them and encourage terrorism.

“All three men are accused of preparation for acts of terrorism and the brothers are charged with possession of a document likely to be useful to a terrorist.

(Proceeding).