A BLACKBURN man who claimed to be the leader of a terror group encouraged fellow Muslims to murder Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and all non-believers, a jury was told.

Ishaq Kanmi, 23, is alleged to have called for the elimination of political leaders, with the Prime Minister and his predecessor at the ‘top of the list’. He also posted links on a jihadi website which directed users to pages containing bomb-making instructions, a jury was told.

Preston Crown Court heard Kanmi posted two messages on the website in which he claimed to be the leader of al Qaida in Britain, an offshoot of the terror group.

In one of the postings made in January 2008, he was said to have compiled a list of aims for the ‘organisation’, which included ‘the elimination of political leaders and top of the list Blair and Brown. As God said: ‘Kill the nonbelievers’.’ Another objective was ‘huge attacks, God willing, on centres and places of benefit to the crusaders. As God said: ‘Kill the participants as you find them, take them, guard them and wait for them’.’ The message, shown to the jury of eight men and four women, concluded: “We invite all Muslims in Britain to join us and prepare themselves for martyrdom operations and not lose this golden chance.

”We also invite all Muslims in Europe to make us victorious in Europe, with men and money, until the British government withdraws its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.”

The message was signed “Leadership of al Qaida in Britain”.

Kanmi, of Cromwell Street, denies two counts of soliciting to murder Mr Brown and Mr Blair.

He also pleaded not guilty to professing to belong to a terrorist organisation, namely al Qaida, inviting support for the same organisation , disseminating terrorist publications and collecting or making a record of information likely to be useful to a terrorist.

Opening the prosecution case, Andrew Edis QC, told the jury: “This concerns a young British man, born in Blackburn, who, for a period of at least one year up to August 2008 when he was arrested, devoted himself to the task of stirring up terrorism in this country and abroad.

”His aim was to persuade others to commit murder, to carry out acts of terror and to engage in martyrdom operations.

”He did what he could to help them by publishing useful information on the internet.”

He added: “His loyalty to his form of Islam exceeds his loyalty to this country. He had become obsessed with al Qaida and other organisations.

”He had a particular interest in al Qaida and its operations in Iraq.

”He became a determined supporter of jihadi terrorism.”

The prosecutor said the Crown did not allege the defendant actually committed an act of terrorism but that he was guilty of distributing information “designed to fire other people with the enthusiasm to commit acts of terrorism”.

”Terrorist organisations need not only soldiers, mujahideen or holy warriors, they also need people to spread the word,” Mr Edis said.

”They are just as important to the terror organisation as those who wear suicide belts around a vest.”

Kanmi was arrested at Manchester airport as he waited to board a flight to Helsinki on August 14 last year, the jury was told.

He was found to have three electronic storage devices in his suitcase and a mobile phone which contained terror-related information which he intended to distribute in Finland, the prosecution said.

Further investigations uncovered the posting in which he posed as Umar Rabie, the boss of al Qaida in Britain, on the website, the court heard.

The jury was shown a 29-minute video detailing how to make a suicide bomber’s jacket which Kanmi is alleged to have posted a link to on the website.

Another showed how to make the poison ricin from caster beans.

Mr Edis said: “It was a great long list of links where you would find a perfectly functioning recipe for ricin and a film on how to make a suicide bomber’s vest.”

The trial, which is scheduled to last between four and six weeks, was adjourned until Monday.

(proceeding)