LONDON: A jury on Thursday convicted three British Muslims of conspiring to murder hundreds of people as part of a plot to blow up passenger planes over the Atlantic.
Ibrahim Savant, 29, Arafat Waheed Khan, 29, and Waheed Zaman, 26 were found guilty at London”s Woolwich Crown Court after a three-month trial. They will be sentenced Monday and face life imprisonment.
Prosecutors say the men were part of a group that planned to detonate liquid explosive bombs hidden in soft drink bottles on aircraft bound for the United States and Canada in 2006, an attack that could have killed people on the scale of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The plot was broken up when suspects were scooped up in raids in London and the surrounding area in August 2006. The foiled attack grounded hundreds of flights and changed air travel for good, as airline authorities to put strict restrictions on the quantity of liquids passengers can carry in their luggage — limits that remain in place.
It has taken four years to bring all the accused to justice. This was the third trial of the three defendants. Two earlier juries failed to reach verdicts on charges of conspiracy to murder. They were acquitted at an earlier trial of knowing that airplanes were the plot”s target, but prosecutors said they had prepared to become suicide bombers and recorded “martyrdom” videos.
The men had argued that the videos were part of an elaborate publicity stunt.
Prosecutor Sue Hemming said the trio “were involved in a calculated and sophisticated plot to create a terrorist event of major proportions, working alongside others who were determined to bring down aircraft using homemade explosives, causing the maximum possible loss of life.”
“They were cleared in the previous trial of being aware of the ultimate targets of the plot, but we say that they were committed to the principle and practice of violent jihad to the point of targeting innocent people in an attempt to further their cause.”
Three other men, described as the group”s ringleaders, are serving long sentences for the plot.
Home Secretary Theresa May said the men had been convicted of “one of the most significant terrorist plots the UK has ever seen.”
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The Times Square bomb suspect claimed during his lengthy interrogation that he received financial support from the Pakistani Taliban for his failed one-man operation, two U.S. law enforcement officials close to the probe said Friday.
Investigators believe funding for Faisal Shahzad in the United States was channeled through an underground money transfer network known as hawala, the officials said. But, one official told, there’s a belief that no one in the U.S. who got him the funds was aware of what they were for.
The Pakistani-American was the only person in the United States who was operational in the plot to attack Times Square with a crude gasoline-and-propane car bomb on May 1, the official said. The bomb did not explode and no one was hurt.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation has not been completed.
The attempted attack set off a massive probe involving hundreds of federal agents in several cities. Nearly three weeks later, investigators have so far concluded that once he was funded, Shahzad acted alone, the officials said.
Three men were arrested last week in New England on immigration charges as authorities followed the money trail. Authorities said they were suspected of providing money for Shahzad; a prosecutor said one had Shahzad’s cell phone number and his first name written on an envelope in his apartment.
All have denied knowing anything about the plot.
They have no connection to this man, Saher Macarius, a lawyer for two of the men, said Friday.
Director : Glenn Baretto
Music : Ankur Tewari, Xulfi
Lyrics : Ankur Tiwari, Xulfi, Danish Khan
Starring : Aftab Shivdasani, Aamna Sharif, Johnny Lever
If you believe in fairytales, you can be a part of it. This is what Hitchcock (not Alfred), but Johnny Lever’s character keeps repeating. Indeed, if you believe in fairytales, this film is for you. There is no doubt about it.
It’s what all fairytales are like and it does not disappoint. Forget the fact that it is a borrowed concept; a remake of Hollywood’s BIG, starring Tom Hanks. Though not lifted frame for frame, producer Aftab Shivdasani, who also takes credit as the storywriter does inject his own ideas too. A decent attempt by this first time producer.
The setting is surreal and immediately gets you into a storybook mould. The characters etched are befitting the genre and you should have no complaints with the plot and premise too. Remember, this is a movie for kids, released a day before Children’s Day.
Mickey is a young boy of 12 who is besotted by 22-year-old town beauty Mitika (Aamna Sharif). He has a friend in Bonny who he spends most of his waking time with. At home, his father is not too pleased with his ‘out of school’ activities, while his mother is always protective about him. It appears that Mickey is their adopted son and this fact is known to Mickey during one of the arguments his parents have over him. He also has a kid sister he adores.
Coming back to the plot, Mickey is desperate to woo Mitika and he is helped by Hitchcock, who, it appears, knows everything about everybody. Mickey is helped to make a wish at the wishing well, and the next morning he is BIG enough to woo Mitika. Then begins the process of falling in love and the ultimate marriage day, where Mickey (Aftab) becomes his small self.
Aftab makes an attempt to stay in character. As a 12-year-old trapped in a man’s body, he is impressive. Aamna, who made her debut earlier this year with ALOO CHAAT starring Aftab alongside, gives a confident show this time. Though she has not much of a depth in her role, she does enough to impress and send out signals to filmmakers, that this here is a pretty face who can act as well.
Director : Glenn BarettoMusic : Ankur Tewari, Xulfi
Lyrics : Ankur Tiwari, Xulfi, Danish Khan
Starring : Aftab Shivdasani, Aamna Sharif, Johnny Lever
If you believe in fairytales, you can be a part of it. This is what Hitchcock (not Alfred), but Johnny Lever’s character keeps repeating. Indeed, if you believe in fairytales, this film is for you. There is no doubt about it.
It’s what all fairytales are like and it does not disappoint. Forget the fact that it is a borrowed concept; a remake of
Hollywood’s BIG, starring
Tom Hanks. Though not lifted frame for frame, producer
Aftab Shivdasani, who also takes credit as the storywriter does inject his own ideas too. A decent attempt by this first time producer.
The setting is surreal and immediately gets you into a storybook mould. The characters etched are befitting the genre and you should have no complaints with the plot and premise too. Remember, this is a movie for kids, released a day before Children’s Day.
Mickey is a young boy of 12 who is besotted by 22-year-old town beauty Mitika (Aamna Sharif). He has a friend in Bonny who he spends most of his waking time with. At home, his father is not too pleased with his ‘out of school’ activities, while his mother is always protective about him. It appears that Mickey is their adopted son and this fact is known to Mickey during one of the arguments his parents have over him. He also has a kid sister he adores.
Coming back to the plot, Mickey is desperate to woo Mitika and he is helped by Hitchcock, who, it appears, knows everything about everybody. Mickey is helped to make a wish at the wishing well, and the next morning he is BIG enough to woo Mitika. Then begins the process of falling in love and the ultimate marriage day, where Mickey (Aftab) becomes his small self.
Aftab makes an attempt to stay in character.
As a 12-year-old trapped in a man’s body, he is impressive.
Aamna, who made her debut earlier this year with
ALOO CHAAT starring Aftab alongside, gives a confident show this time. Though she has not much of a depth in her role, she does enough to impress and send out signals to filmmakers, that this here is a pretty face who can act as well.
Aao Wish Karein Movie Review was first posted on December 19, 2009 at 2:51 pm.
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India News“.
