Five men charged with terrorist training offences went on trial in London today and the high-security court was told a sixth man, their leader, had already admitted soliciting murder.
Atilla Ahmet (43) the so-called emir of the group, pleaded guilty to three counts of encouraging others to commit murder in a separate hearing last month that media were barred from reporting until the start of Wednesday's trial.
Prosecutor David Farrell told Woolwich Crown Court that Tanzanian-born defendant Mohammed Hamid, along with Ahmet, had recruited, groomed and corrupted young Muslims.
Hamid (50) is accused of preparing Muslim men for jihad, or holy war, by organising terrorism training disguised as camping or paintballing trips in rural parts of England.
"His purpose was to convert such men to his own fanatical and extreme beliefs and having given them such a foundation, thereby enabling them to move on to join others in the pursuit of jihad by acts of terrorism," Mr Farrell said.
The court heard that Hamid provided training in weapons and military tactics at camps across England. Among those to attend were men convicted of attempting to bomb the London transport system on July 21st, 2005, two weeks after four Islamist militants killed 52 people in almost identical suicide attacks.
The July 21 plan failed because of mistakes in the construction of the bombs. "The prosecution say that not only did some of those involved in the 21/7 attempted atrocity attend the camp or paintballing exercises, but attended the Friday meetings that Hamid held at his home address," Farrell said.
The court was told that Hamid had been arrested in October 2004 at his stall in central London's Oxford Street shopping area at the same time as Muktah Said Ibrahim, the ringleader of the July 21st conspiracy.
Hamid told the police when arrested that he was "Osama bin London" and claimed to have a bomb.
The jury were also played a secret recording of Hamid discussing the deadly July 7th London bombings with Ahmet, and apparently making light of the number of victims. "Fifty-two, that's not even breakfast for me," Hamid was heard to say.