England: Jihadists talked of building an 'Ultimate Mowing Machine' to kill and main as many people as possible

(London Evening Standard) A jihadist gang accused of plotting suicide bombings more devastating than the 7/7 attacks on London talked of building an 'Ultimate Mowing Machine' to kill and maim.

Irfan Naseer, 31, Irfan Khalid, 27, and Ashik Ali, 27, from Birmingham, have pleaded not guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts.

But the prosecution claims that in covert recordings made by police after the men returned from Pakistan they are heard talking about putting sharp blades on the front of a truck and "running" into people, the court heard.

Recorded speaking on September 10, they discussed an idea for a weapon that had been published in an outlawed extremist online magazine called Inspire under the headline "The Ultimate Mowing Machine".

It was an article the prosecution said the defendants were clearly aware of.

Naseer said: "So Ashik, it feel like I've been driving a monster truck, you know."

Khalid said: "Yeah and do what AQ (al Qaida) said, put that blades at the front of it and trample on everyone."

He continued later: "Just drive it into people in (a) crowded area."

The men also discussed what would happen to their bodies after they had been martyred in a suicide attack, the court heard.

In what the prosecution caled a "very telling exchange", they discussed where they would be buried in Birmingham while being watched by surveillance officers driving through the Small Heath area of Birmingham on September 11 last year.

Khalid said: ""Nah, I'm just thinking... most likely it'll be Handsworth (cemetery), if there's a body left."

Naseer replied: "One thing, one thing, remember, once that once you done, it doesn't matter where you get buried, innit."

Mr Altman said: "The exchange puts beyond doubt that they were planning a suicide attack."

Khalid and Naseer also talked about people "getting killed" in their local area and how no one would come there any more because it would be a "little war zone", the court heard.

Khalid was recorded saying: "This earth here ain't ever be the same, how these people think that, all everyone's gonna be merry merry kuffar are gonna come and eat and drink here, it's not gonna happen, because after we've done, Insha'Allah, yeah, after later on, yeah."

He added: "These people are gonna be getting killed and that here, there's gonna be little war zone, yeah."

In another conversation he described Westerners as evil, saying: "All I'm saying is look how much hatred they have for Islam.

"That does make you go mad."

The men were recorded taking a large flatscreen television to their flat, on which to watch violent videos.

They were also heard boasting that they had been contacted by a potential "investor" who they hoped might give them up to £10,000.

A Dawah charity shop was going to be used as a cover to recruit more people to their cause and they planned to set up charity stalls selling cakes and perfume in Coventry, Leicester and Walsall.

Naseer was recorded talking about the September 11 al Qaida bombers and how they increased their iman (faith) by "doing 10 (chapters of the Koran) a day", while talking to an associate.

The trial continues tomorrow.