7/7 accused 'trained for jihad'

A convicted al-Qaeda terrorist has told how one of the men accused of helping the 7 July bombers trained for jihad.

Mohammed Junaid Babar, in jail in the United States, told Kingston Crown Court Mohammed Shakil had attended a training camp in Kashmir before 9/11.

Babar met Mr Shakil and lead 7 July bomber Mohammed Sidique Khan in Pakistan in 2003, the court heard.

Mr Shakil, Waheed Ali and a third Leeds man, Sadeer Saleem, all deny conspiring to cause an explosion.

They are accused of carrying out a reconnaissance trip to London in December 2004.

During the trial's opening, the jury heard that Khan and Mr Shakil flew to Pakistan in July 2003 to attend what the prosecution said was a training camp.

Appearing by a secure video link from New York, Babar told the court that he had pleaded guilty in 2004 to terrorism offences.

Al Qaeda fixer

Babar said that in July 2003 he had gone to Islamabad Airport with another man, known only as Ausman, to pick up three British men who were flying in to attend a training camp.

Babar had organised physical training and light ammunition firing while Ausman had paid the £5,000 costs.

"They said that they had already been for that type of training before and that there was no need to go through it again"
Mohammed Babar

The two Leeds men were on the same flight, the court heard, but there to meet another al-Qaeda fixer, known only as Khalid.

They were arriving to discover whether or not Afghanistan was "open" for foreigners to fight jihad alongside the Taleban and others.

"Khalid was working for this person called "Q" in England," said Babar.

"Khalid was running things for him in Pakistan. He was helping al-Qaeda with their needs. Khalid was running the operation for Q in Pakistan."

Babar said that he met Mr Shakil and Khan in the arrivals hall - and they used the pseudonyms "Zubair" and "Ibrahim".

They said they had arrived to find out how easy it would be to fight in Afghanistan, Babar told the court.

Kashmir training

Later, during a meeting at an Islamabad apartment, the pair were asked if they wanted to attend the organised training camp.

"They said that they had already been for that type of training before and that there was no need to go through it again," said Babar.

"Were they [Khan and Mr Shakil] together when they told you that?" asked Paul Taylor, prosecuting.

"Yes," replied the American.

Khan told Babar that after the training in Kashmir, which took place before 9/11, he had gone on to fight in Afghanistan.

Asked what impression he had of the two men, Babar said that they were "close friends". He said he had a clear idea of Khan's attitude towards jihad.

"His attitude at that time was just towards Afghanistan," said Babar.

"And Zubair?" asked Mr Taylor.

"His was just the same. He was just interested in the jihad in Afghanistan."

The trial continues.

Trial reporting for the BBC News website: Dominic Casciani