'They planned to murder many innocent people'

MARIANNE TAYLOR

Published on 17 Dec 2008

An NHS doctor is today facing a life sentence after being found guilty of plotting to murder hundreds of people with car bomb attacks on Glasgow and London.

An NHS doctor is today facing a life sentence after being found guilty of plotting to murder hundreds of people with car bomb attacks on Glasgow and London.

Bilal Abdulla, 29, was found guilty of conspiracy to murder and to cause explosions by a jury at the end of a nine-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

The Iraqi junior doctor was responsible for two home-made car bombs, each packed with gas cylinders, petrol and nails, planted in London's West End in summer 2007. When they failed to explode, he joined a desperate suicide attack on Glasgow Airport's main terminal building with Indian engineering student Kafeel Ahmed.

Abdulla's close friend, Jordanian neurologist Mohammed Asha, 28, was acquitted of the same charges and now hopes to fight to continue his career in Britain.

Dr Asha was being transferred from Belmarsh Prison to an immigration detention centre where he will begin the process of attempting to obtain a fresh working visa.

A source close to Dr Asha said he was "in limbo" but "extremely happy, emotional and already thinking of getting back in to practising medicine".

Deputy Assistant Commissioner John McDowall, head of Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command, said the West End bombs were to be the first in a series of attacks. Mr McDowall said: "Bilal Abdulla planned to murder many innocent people when he set out to attack central London.

"He and Kafeel Ahmed wanted to capture public attention. They would certainly have done this had their murderous plans come to fruition."

Strathclyde Police Assistant Chief Constable Campbell Corrigan said many people would have been killed at Glasgow Airport without the actions of police and bystanders and that Abdulla intended to cause "death and destruction".

He said: "The greatest achievement undoubtedly is the fact that no innocent lives were lost and the terrorists failed in their attempts to cause mayhem and mass murder at the airport."