They planned carnage on these streets ... only a fluke foiled them

A GROUP of Islamist fanatics who plotted to use bombs, guns and swords in a murderous attack on far-right extremists at a rally in Yorkshire were foiled purely by chance.
The English Defence League in Dewsbury last summer. Picture: Ross Parry AgencyThe English Defence League in Dewsbury last summer. Picture: Ross Parry Agency
The English Defence League in Dewsbury last summer. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

Jewel Uddin, Omar Mohammed Khan, Mohammed Hasseen, Anzal Hussain, Mohammed Saud and Zohaib Ahmed face long prison sentences after yesterday admitting preparing an act of terrorism.

The six, all from Birmingham, planned to cause mass injuries and death at an English Defence League (EDL) rally in Dewsbury last summer.

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Police estimated there could have been up to 750 EDL marchers at the event, but also dozens of officers and innocent passers-by.

The English Defence League in Dewsbury last summer. Picture: Ross Parry AgencyThe English Defence League in Dewsbury last summer. Picture: Ross Parry Agency
The English Defence League in Dewsbury last summer. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

It was only a series of chance occurrences that allowed police to catch up with them, despite one being under surveillance in relation to another terrorist plan.

Their scheme was left in disarray when the rally finished earlier than expected after EDL leader Tommy Robinson failed to attend, meaning the five members of the gang who travelled north on June 30 arrived two hours late.

As Khan and Uddin drove their silver Renault Laguna back towards Birmingham down the M1, it was recorded as uninsured when a traffic officer checked on the vehicle because it looked old.

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In fact, the gang had tried to insure the Renault for one day that morning, but Saud had mistakenly entered the wrong registration number on an online form.

The English Defence League march through Dewsbury last June. Picture: Ross Parry AgencyThe English Defence League march through Dewsbury last June. Picture: Ross Parry Agency
The English Defence League march through Dewsbury last June. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

Because it had no insurance, the car was seized and the officer took Uddin and Khan to a train station so they could get home. The vehicle was taken to a pound near Sheffield and left there until the following Monday morning.

Staff checked the contents of the car and found the gang’s array of weapons including two shotguns, swords, knives, a nail bomb and a partially-assembled pipe bomb, along with a hate-filled note to the “enemies of Islam”.

It was only then that counter-terrorism units were called in. Police and security services already had Uddin under low-level surveillance because he was on the periphery of another terrorist plot. This was the plan by a group of extremists from Birmingham to set off rucksack bombs and possibly other devices in an attack they wanted to be bigger than July 7.

The men admitted their involvement at Woolwich Crown Court in London via videolink. They will be sentenced on June 6.