Three Islamic extremists were jailed in London on Thursday for their part in a foiled plot to blow up transatlantic airliners which could have murdered thousands.
The trio were imprisoned over the 2006 plot to bring down planes flying from Britain to North America by using liquid explosives hidden in soft drinks bottles.
Its discovery led to strict new rules about carrying liquids on commercial flights.
“The plot to murder passengers and crew on seven airliners was the most grave and wicked conspiracy ever proven within this jurisdiction,” said their judge David Calvert-Smith as he passed sentence at Britain’s top-security Woolwich Crown Court in southeast London.
Adam Khatib, 23, described as convicted ringleader Abdulla Ahmed Ali’s “lieutenant,” was sentenced to a life term of at least 18 years.
Khatib was convicted on Wednesday of conspiracy to murder by plotting with Ali in the run-up to the attempted plot, after a trial at Woolwich.
Nabeel Hussain, 25, was found guilty of preparing for terrorism. He received an eight-year term.
Mohammed Shamin Uddin, 39, was convicted of possessing a CD likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. He was sentenced to 15 months.
He was also given a five years and nine months term after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm.
Calvert-Smith told Khatib: “You are immature, attention-seeking and cold-hearted,” adding: “The gravity of your offense is extreme.”
The judge called Hussain “a sympathizer and supporter of terrorist acts” who was “clearly a trusted friend of Ali”.
He added: “You knew the acts contemplated involved at least the risk of death or the use of explosives with an intention to kill.”
Ringleader Ali was jailed for a minimum of 40 years in September after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to murder by planning suicide attacks on transatlantic aircraft.
Three other men, Assad Sarwar, Tanvir Hussain and Umar Islam were also convicted in September of playing key roles in the plot.
The plan was to smuggle explosives made of hydrogen peroxide onto the planes in soft drink bottles. Refilled batteries would carry the chemical detonator, with the bombs set off using a charge from a light bulb filament.
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