Suspect was in 'al-Qaeda' video

A man accused of being part of a plot to blow up passenger planes has told a court how he agreed to appear in an "al Qaeda-style militant" video.

But Tanvir Hussain, 27, denied that the footage he recorded alongside five of his co-defendants in July 2006 was part of a set of martyrdom films.

Eight men deny conspiring to murder and endanger aircraft leaving the UK.

Their arrests in August 2006 led to a ban on passengers carrying most liquids on board aircraft.

Prosecutors allege the men planned to make hydrogen peroxide bombs disguised as soft drinks to detonate in mid-air on at least seven planes flying out of London's Heathrow airport.

'Loud bang'

Mr Hussain told the jury at Woolwich Crown Court that the videos were meant to be included in a documentary protesting against western foreign policy.

The messages would be interspersed with "shocking images of people dying in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine", he said.

He said he was "taken aback" when his friend and co-defendant Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, revealed plans to blow up a device in a public place as the two men spoke at his flat in April 2006.

Mr Hussain said: "He said to me: 'It ain't going to be nothing big, just a loud bang to cause panic and alarm.'"

Michel Massih QC, for the defence, queried whether he had asked Mr Ali if he intended to kill anyone.

Mr Hussain replied: "I didn't ask him. I know Ahmed wouldn't do nothing like that."

Mr Sarwar and Mr Ali's co-defendants are Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Leyton, east London, Waheed Zaman, 24, and Arafat Waheed Khan, 27, both of Walthamstow, east London.

Also charged are Mohammed Gulzar, 26, of Barking, east London, Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Stoke Newington, north London, and Umar Islam, 30, of Plaistow, east London.

All eight deny two joint charges of conspiring to murder and to endanger aircraft.

The trial continues.