LONDON - Jurors in the case against eight Britons charged in a plot to bomb transatlantic airliners have been shown a video in which one of the accused praises Osama bin Laden.
Besides praising the al Qaeda leader, 29-year-old Umar Islam also vows to wage holy war against non-believers.
Islam, formerly known as Brian Young, and seven others have been charged in an alleged suicide bomb plot to blow up airliners heading from Britain to Canada and the United States.
Prosecutors say the video was found in the trunk of a car belonging to another suspect and that it was intended to be viewed after Islam's death.
In it, Islam says he has an obligation as a Muslim to "wage jihad against the Kuffar'' or non-believer. He also says is seeking revenge for the actions of the U.S.A. in the Muslim lands and "against their accomplices such as the British and the Jews.''
Islam's 19-minute video was shown to the jury at Woolwich Crown Court for the first time Thursday. However, clips from it and other alleged "martyrdom'' videos made by several other suspects were played in court last week.
Speaking in front of a black flag covered in Arabic writing, Islam says Allah "loves us to die and kill in his path.''
"To (Taliban leader) Mullah Omar and Sheik Osama and the brothers, keep on going, keep on remaining firm, but truly you have inspired many of the Muslims and you have inspired me personally to follow the true path of the Prophet.'' Islam; Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27; Assad Sarwar, 27; Tanvir Hussain, 27; Mohammed Gulzar, 26; Ibrahim Savant, 27; Arafat Waheed Khan, 26; and Waheed Zaman, 23, are accused of conspiracy to murder and endangering the safety of an aircraft. Both charges carry maximum sentences of life imprisonment.
Major disruption was caused to British airports and hundreds of flights were grounded after police arrested the suspects in August 2006.
Prosecutors say the cell planned to assemble the alleged bombs in jetliner toilets using hydrogen peroxide-based explosives smuggled on board by injecting them into soft drinks bottles.
Airlines quickly imposed tough new limits on the amount of liquids and gels _ and types of carry-on luggage _ passengers can take on flights.
Prosecutors allege the plotters were close to carrying out their plan when they were arrested in August 2006. The men deny the charges.
Prosecutors say the suspects had identified seven specific flights from London's Heathrow airport to Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Washington.
