'Terror suspect bought chemicals in Wales'

5:21pm Wednesday 16th April 2008

A HIGH Wycombe terror suspect was caught on camera speeding as he drove to Wales to buy bomb-making chemicals, a court heard.

Assad Ali Sarwar, 27, of Walton Drive, Totteridge, was snapped on April 27 2006 driving on the M4 near Bridgend.

He had visited Health Leads Ltd in St Clears, Carmarthenshire, the court heard.

Jurors were shown a receipt for the purchase of half a litre of hydrogen peroxide, food grade 35 per cent, and a number of toiletries including six bars of sulphur soap, Himalayan bath salt, baby soap, tampons and pantyliners.

Sarwar made the purchase under the false name and address of Jona Lewis, of Cornerston Road in Bristol, the court was told.

He was caught speeding at 1.46pm driving his red Nissan Primera between junction 34 at Miskin and junction 35 at Pencoed, for which he was later issued a fixed penalty notice.

Throughout the day at Woolwich Crown Court the jury were shown police surveillance photos and CCTV images detailing the movements of several of the eight men accused of plotting to blow up Transatlantic passenger aircraft.

The court heard they were tracked by police for approximately eight weeks leading up to their arrest on August 9.

The court were also shown the movements of two cars - a red Vauxhall Vectra and a red Citroen - which were both used on various days by Sarwar and co-defendants Ahmed Abdullah Ali and Tanvir Hussain, both 27, of East London.

Sarwar and Ali were photographed by undercover officers talking together in Lloyd Park in Walthamstow on both July 15 and 23 2006.

On the 15th they had dinner together at a pizza restaurant.

Ali and Hussain were caught on camera shopping together in several well-known East London stores during July 2006.

On July 6 they visited B&Q in Leyton Mills. Prosector Richard Whittam said: "They were seen inside the store looking at torches and batteries.

"They then went to the tool section. Ali purchased two rick clamps, a screwdriver, a can of WD40 and a Stanley knife.

"Both Ali and Hussain left with carrier bags. They were heard in the store discussing the significance of the batteries. They were seen paying in B&Q and driving off together."

A week later, on July 13, the pair were spotted together again at a Tesco Extra store. Mr Whittam showed the court photographs of what appeared to be the pair looking at bumbags.

Ali was said to be heard saying: "Yes, I think I could fit a bottle of water in."

Mr Whittam then told jurors the pair looked at kitchen utensils, including large knives, and spent ten minutes examining bottles of water.

Later that month Ali and Hussain were also spotted playing sport in Lloyd Park, each time accompanied by three unidentified Asian men.

They were seen playing football on July 16 and then playing doubles tennis on both July 21 and 22.

A total of eight men deny charges of conspiring to murder and conspiring to endanger life on an aircraft. The trial continues.