Islamic preacher 'recruited terrorists for Iraq'
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| Trevor Brooks claims his arrest was 'politically motivated' |
By Duncan Gardham
A radical preacher who heckled the Home Secretary tried to recruit Muslims to fight British soldiers in Iraq and raise money for terrorists, a court has been told. |
Trevor Brooks, who uses the names Omar Brooks and Abu Izzadeen, and six co-defendants, claim their arrest in 2007 was "politically motivated" because Brooks once interrupted a speech made by John Reid when he was home secretary, the court heard.
In a video played to the jury, one of the accused, Abdul Rehman Saleem, praised Osama bin Laden and said Islam was a "religion of terrorism".
He said: "Terrorism against the kuffar [non-believers], terrorism against those that terrorise us, terrorism against those that terrorise our women and children. Yes we have terrorised them so when they call you terrorist, be proud to have that title."
As the audience at Regents Park Mosque in central London, joined in, he chanted: "Oh Allah support Sheikh Osama, Oh Allah destroy America.
"Destroy the kafir wherever they are. Let their blood run in the mountains of Afghanistan, let their women become widows, may their children become orphans, let them be bombed. Let death come to them by the hands of the mujahideen [holy fighters]."
Kingston Crown Court, in south-west London, was told that the speakers referred to the September 11 hijackers as the "magnificent 19" and the audience clapped those who had "chosen to answer the call by becoming martyrs".
When police arrived, after being called by mosque security staff, they were forced from the building by the angry crowd.
Along with Brooks, 32, and Saleem, 32, the other speakers included Shah Jalal Hussain, 25, Rajib Khan, 29, and Simon Keeler, 36, who called himself "Suliman".
The speeches were recorded on Nov 9, 2004, the day after US forces tried to retake control of the Iraqi city of Fallujah - attacks referred to by the speakers.
The speeches were found on a DVD recovered during a raid on the home of Omar Bakri in Haringey, north London, on March 15, 2006, following the protests against the Danish cartoons of the Muslim prophet, Mohammed.
Bakri is the self-styled "sheikh" and the former leader of the banned radical group al-Muhajiroun.
Brooks, Saleem, Keeler, Khan and Ibrahim Abdullah Hassan, 25, are charged with inciting terrorism overseas. Brooks is also charged with encouragement of terrorism.
All of them, along with Hussain and Abdul Muhid, 25, are also charged with raising funds for terrorism. They deny the charges and the trial continues